Full Citation: van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Nesmith, Jonathan C.B.; Keifer, MaryBeth J.; Knapp, Eric E.; Flint, Alan L.; Flint, Lorraine E. 2013. Climatic stress increases forest fire severity across the western United States. Ecology Letters 16(9):1151-1156.
External Identifier(s): 10.1111/ele.12151 Digital Object Identifier
Location: Western U.S.
Ecosystem types: Coniferous forests
Southwest FireCLIME Keywords: None
FRAMES Keywords: fire severity, tree mortality, fire injury, fire intensity, fire weather, heat, climate change, climatology, drought, mortality, fire management, forest management, coniferous forests

Climatic stress increases forest fire severity across the western United States

Phillip J. van Mantgem, Jonathan C. B. Nesmith, MaryBeth J. Keifer, Eric E. Knapp, Alan L. Flint, Lorraine E. Flint


Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors examined the relationship between climate and fire severity across coniferous forests of the western U.S.


Publication findings:

The authors found that long term climatic stress, measured by climatic water deficit, predisposed trees to higher mortality from fire damage. The author suggest that warming temperatures increase fire severity, and ultimately tree mortality, independent of fire intensity.

Climate and Fire Linkages

The authors found that long term climatic stress, measured by climatic water deficit, predisposed trees to higher mortality from fire damage. The author suggest that warming temperatures increase fire severity, and ultimately tree mortality, independent of fire intensity.

The authors found that long term climatic stress, measured by climatic water deficit, predisposed trees to higher mortality from fire damage. The author suggest that warming temperatures increase fire severity, and ultimately tree mortality, independent of fire intensity.

Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages

The authors found that long term climatic stress, measured by climatic water deficit, predisposed trees to higher mortality from fire damage. The author suggest that warming temperatures increase fire severity, and ultimately tree mortality, independent of fire intensity.

The authors found that long term climatic stress, measured by climatic water deficit, predisposed trees to higher mortality from fire damage. The author suggest that warming temperatures increase fire severity, and ultimately tree mortality, independent of fire intensity.