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Fire-climate interactions in the American west since 1400 CE

Valerie Trouet, Alan H. Taylor, Eugene R. Wahl, Carl N. Skinner, Scott L. Stephens


Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors developed tree-ring based fire chronologies across four regions of the western U.S. from approximately 1400 CE to present to examine fire-climate relationships.

Publication findings:

The authors found strong relationships between synchronized fire activity and summer drought in the year of the fire across all regions. Fire activity declined significantly during the late 16th century during a period of anomalously low temperature, referred to as the Little Ice Age.

Climate and Fire Linkages

The authors found strong relationships between synchronized fire activity and summer drought in the year of the fire across all regions.

Fire activity declined significantly during the late 16th century during a period of anomalously low temperature, referred to as the Little Ice Age.