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View the FRAMES recordBurn severity of areas reburned by wildfires in the Gila National Forest, New Mexico, USA
The authors analyzed the effects of the severity of a fire on the severity of a subsequent reburn based on the vegetation type. The analysis was stratified by vegetation types that burned frequently historically, including piñyon-juniper woodlands, ponderosa pine dominated forests, mixed-conifer, and spruce-fir.
The authors found a positive feedback between the initial severity of a fire and the severity of the reburn fire. High severity reburns usually occurred after a high severity burn. This pattern was stronger in the mesic, high-elevation forests of the Gila National Forest where the frequency of fire is longer. Conversely, low severity fires were typically followed by subsequent low severity fires, thereby maintaining the low-severity fire regime characteristics typical of these ecosystems.
Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages
The authors found a positive feedback between the initial severity of a fire and the severity of the reburn fire. High severity reburns usually occurred after a high severity burn. This pattern was stronger in the mesic, high-elevation forests of the Gila National Forest where the frequency of fire is longer. Conversely, low severity fires were typically followed by subsequent low severity fires, thereby maintaining the low-severity fire regime characteristics typical of these ecosystems.
High severity reburns usually occurred after a high severity burn. This pattern was stronger in the mesic, high-elevation forests of the Gila National Forest where the frequency of fire is longer. Conversely, low severity fires were typically followed by subsequent low severity fires, thereby maintaining the low-severity fire regime characteristics typical of these ecosystems.