Event Website
http://www.nafew2009.org/
Start Date
6-24-2009 11:30 AM
End Date
6-24-2009 11:50 AM
Description
The frequency, severity, and extent of wildfire are strongly related to climate, and increasing temperatures with climate change will likely lead to changes in fire regimes in many types of ecosystems. Increased spring and summer temperatures with climate change will result in relatively early snowmelt, lower summer soil and fuel moisture, and longer fire seasons in the West. These conditions will lead to increased fire frequency and extent. Higher temperatures may also interact with vegetation and fuel characteristics to increase fire intensity and severity. Mixed severity fire regimes may be uniquely influenced by these climate-induced changes in the frequency, extent, intensity, and/or severity of fire. For example, more frequent fire may result in more uniform fire return intervals in forest types currently characterized by mixed severity fire regimes, potentially altering fire severity patch structure, and influencing the associated ecosystem response. Changes in fire regimes will likely interact with other disturbance agents, such as insects and drought, resulting in further changes in ecosystems characterized by mixed severity fire regimes. Adapting management for changing fire regimes will be a major challenge for resource managers in the face of climate change. Examples of strategies for adapting to changing fire regimes include increasing resilience at large spatial scales, increasing biological diversity, planning for post-disturbance management, implementing early detection/rapid response, and anticipating big surprises through scenario planning.
Included in
Potential Effects of Climate Change on Mixed Severity Fire Regimes
The frequency, severity, and extent of wildfire are strongly related to climate, and increasing temperatures with climate change will likely lead to changes in fire regimes in many types of ecosystems. Increased spring and summer temperatures with climate change will result in relatively early snowmelt, lower summer soil and fuel moisture, and longer fire seasons in the West. These conditions will lead to increased fire frequency and extent. Higher temperatures may also interact with vegetation and fuel characteristics to increase fire intensity and severity. Mixed severity fire regimes may be uniquely influenced by these climate-induced changes in the frequency, extent, intensity, and/or severity of fire. For example, more frequent fire may result in more uniform fire return intervals in forest types currently characterized by mixed severity fire regimes, potentially altering fire severity patch structure, and influencing the associated ecosystem response. Changes in fire regimes will likely interact with other disturbance agents, such as insects and drought, resulting in further changes in ecosystems characterized by mixed severity fire regimes. Adapting management for changing fire regimes will be a major challenge for resource managers in the face of climate change. Examples of strategies for adapting to changing fire regimes include increasing resilience at large spatial scales, increasing biological diversity, planning for post-disturbance management, implementing early detection/rapid response, and anticipating big surprises through scenario planning.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/mixed_fire/1