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Type: Conference Paper
Author(s): Stephen F. Arno; David J. Parsons; Robert E. Keane II
Compiler(s): David N. Cole; Stephen F. McCool; William T. Borrie; Jennifer O'Loughlin
Publication Date: 2000

Findings from fire history studies have increasingly indicated that many forest ecosystems in the northern Rocky Mountains were shaped by mixed-severity fire regimes, characterized by fires of variable severities at intervals averaging between about 30 and 100 years. Perhaps because mixed-severity fire regimes and their resulting vegetational patterns are difficult to characterize, these regimes have received limited recognition in wilderness fire management. This paper presents examples of mixed-severity fire regimes in Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and discusses how suppression and fire management policies have affected them. It suggests possible management actions to return a semblance of the historical mixed-severity fire regimes to these and other natural areas.

Citation: Arno, S. F., D. J. Parsons, and R. E. Keane. 2000. Mixed-severity fire regimes in the northern Rocky Mountains: consequences of fire exclusion and options for the future, in Cole, D. N., McCool, S. F., Borrie, W. T., and O'Loughlin, J., Wilderness science in a time of change conference: volume 5: wilderness ecosystems, threats, and management. Missoula, MT. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,Ogden, UT. 5, p. 225-232,Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-5.

Cataloging Information

Keywords:
  • fire exclusion
  • fire frequency
  • fire intensity
  • fire management
  • fire regimes
  • fire suppression
  • histories
  • lightning caused fires
  • Montana
  • mountains
  • national parks
  • Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Areas
  • suppression
  • wilderness fire management
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 21000Location Status: In-fileCall Number: A13.151/5:RMRS-P-15 v.5Abstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 45466

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.