Wildland Fire
The U.S. Geological Survey conducts fire ecology research to understand the effects of wildland fire on ecosystem structure and function, and on other ecological attributes such as wildlife habitat. Research is also directed as understanding fire history and fire regimes; interactions of fire with invasive species (e.g. cheatgrass) and climate variability; fire relations with vegetation structure and effectiveness of fuel treatments; and development of guidelines for restoring and rehabilitating fire-impacted ecosystems and watersheds.
Listed below are examples of research projects available online and general information from USGS about fire, its effects, and fire treatments.
Fire History & Climate Change |
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Fuel & Fuel Treatment
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Incident Management Decision Support |
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Landscape Restoration & Monitoring |
- Biological Research on Fire in the West. Fact Sheet. Download the File. (460 KB, PDF) (West, California, Sierra Nevada, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Great Basin, Mojave desert, Sonoran desert) (FRESC) (also related to Arid Lands, Forests, Grasslands, Invasive Species, Urban Expansion)
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Post-Fire Restoration & Rehabilitation |
- Managing Fire in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert: A Review and Analysis of the Literature. Open-File Report. Download the File. (6,151 KB, PDF) (Arizona, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Texas) (SBSC) (also related to Arid Lands)
- Use of Fire as a Tool for Controlling Invasive Plants. Download the File. (2,648 KB, PDF) (WERC) (also related to Invasive Species)
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In the Spotlight
Ecological Foundations for Fire Management - In a recent USFS publication (General Technical Report PNW-GTR-779), USGS scientist Jon Keeley led a team of scientists from various agencies and academic institutions in developing a framework that will inform fire management of ecosystems. This review uses a scientific synthesis to provide an ecological foundation for management of diverse ecosystems. Ecosystem-based management requires different strategies on different landscapes, necessitating a regional approach to fire management. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170) Citation: Keeley, J.E., G. Aplet, N.L. Christensen, S.G. Conard, E.A. Johnson, P.N. Omi, D.L. Peterson, and T.W. Swetnam. 2009. Ecological foundations for fire management in North American forest and shrubland ecosystems. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-779. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 92 p.
Additional Resources
Publications in .PDF format require Adobe Reader. Go to the Adobe website to Download the latest version of Adobe Reader |
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