Ecological Applications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(7)

Published: Aug. 15, 2024

Abstract Rising global fire activity is increasing the prevalence of repeated short‐interval burning (reburning) in forests worldwide. In that historically experienced frequent‐fire regimes, high‐severity exacerbates severity subsequent fires by shrubs and/or creating drier understory conditions. Low‐ to moderate‐severity fire, contrast, can moderate future behavior reducing fuel loads. The extent which previous will powerfully affect fire‐prone forest ecosystem trajectories over next century. Further, knowing where and when a wildfire may act as landscape‐scale treatment help direct pre‐ post‐fire management efforts. We leverage satellite imagery progression mapping model reburn dynamics within initially burned at low/moderate 726 unique pair events 36‐year period across four large Western US ecoregions. ask (1) how strong are moderating effects low‐ on severity, (2) long do last, (3) does time between (a proxy for accumulation) interact with initial day‐of‐burning weather conditions, climate influence severity. Short‐interval reburns primarily occurred dry‐ moist‐mixed conifer regimes. Previous moderated all ecoregions strongest occurring California Coast Mountains average duration ranging from 13 years >36 Coast. strength depended some regions, reflecting differences accumulation. Coast, lasted longer cooler wetter forests. Mountains, were stronger lasting higher Moderating largely robust weather, suggesting mediate even under extreme Our findings demonstrate buffers forests, underlining importance restoration tool adapting change.

Language: Английский