From the Summary (p.697-698) ... 'Given the importance of wildfires in the south-central and southeastern United States, as reflected in the yearly totals of wildfire numbers and hectares burned, there is a need to better understand the potential ramifications of a changed climate and climate variability on wildfire activity in the region. The research results outlined in this chapter provide insight into some of the key atmospheric processes involved with wildfire occurrence in the southern states. They provide the foundation for new studies that are needed to further examine the relationship between those atmospheric processes relevant to large-scale climatic changes and the smaller-scale atmospheric dynamics that are most relevant to regional fire-weather development and wildfire occurrence in the southern states.'