Restoration and fuel hazard reduction result in equivalent reductions in crown fire behavior in dry conifer forests.

ABSTRACT: Over the past several decades, the management of historically frequent-fire forests in the western United States has received significant attention due to the linked ecological and social risks posed by the increased occurrence of large, contiguous patches of high-severity fire. As a result, efforts are underway to simultaneously reduce potential fire and fuel hazards and restore characteristics indicative of historical forest structures and ecological processes that enhance the diversity and quality of wildlife habitat across landscapes. Despite widespread agreement on the need for action, there is a perceived tension among scientists concerning silvicultural treatments that modify stands to optimally reduce potential fire behavior (fuel hazard reduction) versus those that aim to emulate

SUBMITTER: Ritter SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9787879 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature