Choose a search method


Climate + Fire

Fire + Ecosystem Effects

Search

Climate

Fire

Ecosystem Effects
Full Citation: Coppoletta, Michelle; Merriam, Kyle E.; Collins, Brandon M. 2016. Post-fire vegetation and fuel development influences fire severity patterns in reburns. Ecological Applications 26(3):686-699.
External Identifier(s): 10.1890/15-0225 Digital Object Identifier
Location: Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, U.S.
Ecosystem types: Mixed-conifer forest
Southwest FireCLIME Keywords: None
FRAMES Keywords: fire case histories, fire frequency, fire intensity, fire size, post-fire recovery, surface fuels, Sierra Nevada, duff, ground cover, overstory, population density, snags, thinning, vegetation surveys, fire management, forest management, coniferous forests, fire severity, interacting fires, post-fire restoration, reburn, vegetation, fuel development, topography

View the FRAMES record

Post-fire vegetation and fuel development influences fire severity patterns in reburns

Michelle Coppoletta, Kyle E. Merriam, Brandon M. Collins
Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors sampled field plots that reburned to examine how biophysical characteristics, topography, fire weather, time-since-fire, and initial fire severity affected subsequent reburn severity
Publication findings:

The authors found that areas that burned initially as high- or moderate-severity fire were more likely to reburn at high severity due to the increase in snags and shrub vegetation as a result of the first fire entry. Average daytime temperature was the most important predictor of high severity fire in the reburn. When temperatures exceeded a threshold of >27.3°C (81°F), snag basal area and shrub cover were the strongest variable driving reburn severity patterns. They also found that as time between fires increased, severity also increased.

Climate and Fire Linkages

How do temperature, relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit relate to fire severity?

Average daytime temperature was the most important predictor of high severity fire in the reburn. When temperatures exceeded a threshold of >27.3°C (81°F), snag basal area and shrub cover were the strongest variable driving reburn severity patterns.

Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages

How does fire severity relate to fuels?

The authors found that areas that burned initially as high- or moderate-severity fire were more likely to reburn at high severity due to the increase in snags and shrub vegetation as a result of the first fire entry.

How do fire frequency, rotation, and return interval relate to fuels?

The authors found that areas that burned initially as high- or moderate-severity fire were more likely to reburn at high severity due to the increase in snags and shrub vegetation as a result of the first fire entry. They also found that as time between fires increased, severity also increased.