Strategic fire zones are essential to wildfire risk reduction in the Western United States

Fire Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(1)

Published: May 21, 2024

Abstract Background Over the last four decades, wildfires in forests of continental western United States have significantly increased both size and severity after more than a century fire suppression exclusion. Many these historically experienced frequent were fuel limited. To date, reduction treatments been small too widely dispersed to impacted this trend. Currently new land management plans are being developed on most 154 National Forests that will guide support ground practices for next 15–20 years. Results During plan development, we recommend Strategic Fire Zones (SFZs) be identified large blocks (≥ 2,000 ha) Federal forest lands, buffered 1–2.4 km) from wildland-urban interface reintroduction beneficial fire. In SFZs, lightning ignitions, as well prescribed cultural burns, would used reduce fuels restore ecosystem services. Although such successfully established limited number Parks Wilderness Areas, identify extensive remote areas US (8.3–12.7 million ha), outside wilderness (85–88%), where they could established. Potential wildland Operational Delineations or PODs SFZ boundaries. We outline steps identify, implement, monitor, communicate use benefits SFZs. Conclusions Enhancing collaboration knowledge-sharing with Indigenous communities can play vital role gaining agency public building narrative how rebuild climate-adapted regimes live within them. Meaningful increases multiply amount landscape while reducing risk their impacts structures

Language: Английский

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Evidence for strong bottom-up controls on fire severity during extreme events

Fire Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 21(1)

Published: May 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Fire Frequency Driven Increases in Burn Heterogeneity Promote Microbial Beta Diversity: A Test of the Pyrodiversity‐Biodiversity Hypothesis

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 5, 2025

ABSTRACT Fire is a common ecological disturbance that structures terrestrial ecosystems and biological communities. The ability of fires to contribute ecosystem heterogeneity has been termed pyrodiversity directly linked biodiversity (i.e., the pyrodiversity–biodiversity hypothesis). Since climate change models predict increases in fire frequency, understanding how influences soil microbes important for predicting will respond regime changes. Here we tested frequency‐driven changes burn patterns pyrodiversity) influenced microbial communities diversity. We assessed effects on by manipulating frequency (annual vs. biennial fires) tallgrass prairie restoration evaluating (bacteria fungi). Annual burns produced more heterogeneous (higher were shifts fungal bacterial community composition. While did not influence fungi) alpha diversity, beta diversity increase with pyrodiversity. Changes composition patterns, suggesting other components (e.g., plants characteristics) dynamics greater observed annually burned plots. Shifts variation higher severity pattern (grey white ash), thermotolerance contributed lower biennially This demonstrates augment may productivity fire‐prone ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Informing climate adaptation strategies using ecological simulation models and spatial decision support tools

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: Nov. 23, 2023

Introduction Forest landscapes offer resources and ecosystem services that are vital to the social, economic, cultural well-being of human communities, but managing for these provisions can require socially ecologically relevant trade-offs. We designed a spatial decision support model reveal trade-offs synergies between in large eastern Cascade Mountain landscape Washington State, USA. Methods used process-based forest (LANDIS-II) hydrology (DHSVM) models compare outcomes associated with 100 years simulated wildfire dynamics two management scenarios, Wildfire only + Treatments . then examined strength distribution potential treatment effects trends set over simulation period. Results found area burned increased time, some impacts could be mitigated by adaptation treatments. Treatment benefits were not limited treated areas. Interestingly, we observed neighborhood where fire spread severity reduced patches adjacent as well, creating among resource services. Ordinations provided further evidence main kinds outcomes. Positive ecological treatments greatest upper elevation moist cold forests, while positive communities aligned drier, low- mid-elevation forests closer wildland urban interface. Discussion Our results contribute improved understanding tradeoffs linked restoration efforts fire-prone inform aimed at rebuilding resilient, climate-adapted landscapes.

Language: Английский

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Reconciling species conservation and ecosystem resilience: Northern spotted owl habitat sustainability in a fire-dependent forest landscape

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 567, P. 122072 - 122072

Published: June 28, 2024

Maintaining dense forest habitats for the threatened northern spotted owl (NSO) has proven challenging in seasonally dry, fire-dependent landscapes where low-density conditions were historically dominant and are generally more climate- disturbance-resilient. To better inform dual, sometimes-conflicting objectives of species conservation resilience, we developed an approach to evaluate NSO habitat sustainability by: (1) quantifying structure high suitability (HSH) associated with using two remotely sensed platforms, (2) estimating current historical HSH abundance, (3) identifying locations likely persist given future forest-zone climate projections increasing risk severe wildfire. Tall, closed-canopy effectively comprised key structural features HSH, providing a means map through time. Both amounts contemporary spatial patterns other non-forest around occupied sites indicated that resilience goals can be congruent at multiple scales. Independent lines evidence suggest composed ∼18–24% dry moist mixed-conifer landscape – considerably lower levels than management many areas. Projected shifts severe-fire likelihood substantial temporal will sustainable into mainly currently as well some cold types. These findings potential convergence trade-offs disturbance across local regional landscapes, based on inherent capacity support both under projected

Language: Английский

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Modeling the seasonal wildfire cycle and its possible effects on the distribution of focal species in Kermanshah Province, western Iran

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 19(10), P. e0312552 - e0312552

Published: Oct. 28, 2024

Predicting environmental disturbances and evaluating their potential impacts on the habitats of various plant animal species is a suitable strategy for guiding conservation efforts. Wildfires are type disturbance that can affect many aspects an ecosystem its species. Therefore, through integration spatial models distribution (SDMs), we make informed predictions occurrence such phenomena impacts. This study focused five focal species, namely, brown bear ( Ursus arctos ), wild goat Capra aegagrus sheep Ovis orientalis wildcat Felis silvestris striped hyena Hyaena hyaena ). used MODIS active fire data ensemble machine learning methods to model risk wildfire in 2023 spring, summer, autumn separately. also investigated suitability via SDMs. The predicted probability maps habitat were converted binary values true skill statistic (TSS) threshold. overlap map areas was analyzed GAP analysis. area prone summer winter equal 9077.32; 10,199.83 13,723.49 KM 2 calculated, which indicates increase risk. Proximity roads one most important factors affecting possible effects wildfires all seasons. Most occurrences concentrated agricultural lands, which, when integrated with other land use types, have destroy residues critical factor wildfires. range each considered component susceptibility. Hence, autumn, 5.257, 5.856, 6.889 km respectively, affected by possibility fire. In contrast, these lowest , 162, 127, 396 respectively. dependent human-based ecosystems highest vulnerability wildfire. Conservation efforts should focus familiarizing farmers destroying as well consequences intentional fires. findings this be mitigate negative protect

Language: Английский

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The whole community? Assessing FEMA’s inclusion of Tribal governments in hazard mitigation efforts

PLOS Climate, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(8), P. e0000479 - e0000479

Published: Aug. 20, 2024

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has long advocated for what it calls a “Whole Community approach” to disaster resilience and recovery. This philosophy holds that the priorities of all governmental, commercial, interest groups should be considered, their capabilities leveraged, in preparing responding disasters. According FEMA, federally recognized Tribal governments are part Community.” In this paper we use systematic content analysis techniques examine policy documents derived from Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant program assess whether how FEMA taken concrete steps necessary include We find while expressed more equitable accessible serves needs governments, few practical toward goal.

Language: Английский

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Learning from wildfires: A scalable framework to evaluate treatment effects on burn severity

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(12)

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Abstract Interruption of frequent burning in dry forests across western North America and the continued impacts anthropogenic climate change have resulted increases fire size severity compared to historical regimes. Recent legislation, funding, planning emphasized increased implementation mechanical thinning prescribed treatments decrease risk undesirable ecological social outcomes due fire. As wildfires continue interact, managers require consistent approaches evaluate treatment effectiveness at moderating burn severity. In this study, we present a repeatable, remote sensing–based, analytical framework for conducting fire‐scale assessments that informs local management while also supporting cross‐fire comparisons. We demonstrate on 2021 Bootleg Fire Oregon Schneider Springs Washington. Our used (1) machine learning identify key bioclimatic, topographic, weather drivers each fire, (2) standardized workflows statistically sample untreated control units, (3) spatial regression modeling effects type time since The application our showed that, both fires, recent were most effective reducing relative controls. contrast, thinning‐only only produced low/moderate‐severity under more moderate conditions Fire. offers robust approach evaluating scale individual which can be scaled up assess multiple fires. brings uncertainty forest ecosystems America, support strategic actions reduce wildfire foster resilience.

Language: Английский

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Model analysis of post-fire management and potential reburn fire behavior

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 351, P. 119664 - 119664

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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Universality of ecological memory for local and global net ecosystem exchange, atmospheric CO2, and sea surface temperature

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 27, 2024

Abstract Modeling global net ecosystem exchange is essential to understanding and quantifying the complex interactions between Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems atmosphere. Emphasizing interrelatedness exchange, sea surface temperature, atmospheric CO 2 levels, intuitively suggests that all three systems may exhibit collective environmental memory. Motivated by this, we explicitly identified a memory function showed similar non-Markovian stochastic behavior for these exhibiting superdiffusive in short time intervals. These results were consistent with our previous analyses at level suggesting scale invariance phenomena. Thus, observed superdif fusive operating different scales universality of systems.

Language: Английский

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