Skip to main content
Skip to main content

forest structure

Displaying 1 - 10 of 36

Learning from Wildfire Decision Support: large language model analysis of barriers to fire spread in a census of large wildfires in the United States (2011–2023)

Year of Publication
2025
Publication Type

Background

Barriers are the landscape features that firefighters leverage to stop wildfire spread. In the United States, decision-makers discuss barrier availability in a framework called the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).

Aims

This study analyzes WFDSS text from 6630 large wildfires and examines the barriers identified.

Trees in Fire-Maintained Forests Have Similar Growth Responses to Drought, but Greater Stomatal Conductance Than Trees in Fire-Excluded Forests

Year of Publication
2025
Publication Type

In the western US, increased tree density in dry conifer forests from fire exclusion has caused tree growth declines, which is being compounded by hotter multi-year droughts. The reintroduction of frequent, low-severity wildfire reduces forest density by removing fire-intolerant trees, which can reduce competition for water and improve tree growth response to drought.