Changes in forest fire frequency in Kootenay National Park, Canadian Rockies

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1763-1767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan M. Masters
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
Time Since Fire

Time-since-fire distribution analysis is used to estimate forest fire frequency for the 1400 km2 Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, located on the west slope of the Rocky Mountains. The time-since-fire distribution indicates three periods of different fire frequency: 1988 to 1928, 1928 to 1788, and before 1788. The fire cycle for the park was > 2700 years for 1988 to 1928, 130 years between 1928 and 1788, and 60 years between 1778 and 1508. Longer fire cycles after 1788 and 1928 may be due, respectively, to cool climate associated with the Little Ice Age and a recent period of higher precipitation. Contrary to some fire history investigations in the region, neither a fire suppression policy since park establishment in 1919, nor the completion of the Windermere Highway through the park in 1923 appear to have changed the fire frequency from levels during pre-European occupation. Spatial partitioning of the time-since-fire distribution was unsuccessful. No relationship was found between elevation or aspect and fire frequency. Key words: fire cycle, Rocky Mountains, climate change.

Frequency and season of fires varies with distance from settlement and grass composition in Eucalyptus miniata savannas of the Darwin region of northern Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis P. Elliott ◽  
Donald C. Franklin ◽  
David M. J. S. Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Key Issues

In savanna environments, fire and grass are inextricably linked by feedback loops. In the Darwin area of northern Australia, flammable tall annual grasses of the genus Sarga (previously Sorghum1) have been implicated in a savanna fire-cycle. We examined the relationship between fire history, the grass layer and distance from settlement using LANDSAT images and plot-based surveys. Areas more than 500 m from settlement were burnt almost twice as often, the additional fires being concentrated late in the dry season and in areas dominated by annual Sarga and even more so where dominated by short annual grasses. Grass cover was a stronger correlate of fire frequency than grass biomass, the two showing a non-linear relationship. Sites dominated by short annual grasses had similar cover to, but markedly lower biomass than those dominated by annual Sarga or perennial grasses. Our results reflect the success of fire suppression in the vicinity of settlements, but little effective management of late dry-season wildfires in remoter areas. We evaluate several hypotheses for the association of frequent fire with annual grasses regardless of their growth form and conclude that fuel connectivity and possibly other fuel characteristics are key issues worthy of further investigation.

Fire frequency for the transitional mixedwood forest of Timiskaming, Quebec, Canada

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 656-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J Grenier ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Daniel Kneeshaw ◽  
Sylvie Gauthier
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
Temporal Shift ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Time Required

Fire history was reconstructed for a 2500-km2 area at the interface between the boreal coniferous and northern hardwood forests of southwestern Quebec. The fire cycle, the time required for an area equal to the study site to burn once over, was described using a random sampling strategy that included dendrochronological techniques in conjunction with provincial and national government archival data. Physiographic elements were not found to spatially influence fire frequency; however, human land-use patterns were observed to significantly affect the fire frequency. A temporal shift in fire frequency was also detected, which coincided with the period of Euro-Canadian colonization and known extreme dry years for the study site. Additionally, a fire-free period was identified in the most recent times that could be associated with fire suppression and climate change. The estimated cycles (approx. 188–314 years) for the southeastern section of the study area were thought to better represent the natural cycles for this transition zone as a result of less anthropogenic influence. The importance of gap-type dynamics becomes evident with the increased presence of old-growth forest, given the derived fire cycle estimations for the region. Even-aged management with short rotations, consequently, is questioned because fire cycle estimations suggest more complex harvest systems using an ecosystem management approach.

scholarly journals Dendrochronological Assessment of Whitebark Pine Response to Past Climate Change: Implications for a Threatened Species in Grand Teton National Park

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
Kendra McLauchlan ◽  
Kyleen Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Pine Trees

One of the keystone tree species in subalpine forests of the western United States – whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis, hereafter whitebark pine) – is experiencing a significant mortality event (Millar et al. 2012). Whitebark pine occupies a relatively restricted range in the high-elevation ecosystems in the northern Rockies and its future is uncertain. The current decline of whitebark pine populations has been attributed to pine beetle infestations, blister rust infections, anthropogenic fire suppression, and climate change (Millar et al. 2012). Despite the knowledge that whitebark pine is severely threatened by multiple stressors, little is known about the historic capacity of this species to handle these stressors. More specifically, it is unknown how whitebark pine has dealt with past climatic variability, particularly variation in the type of precipitation (rain vs. snow) available for soil moisture, and how differences in quantity of precipitation have influenced the establishment and growth of modern stands. We propose to study the past responses of whitebark pine to paleoclimatic conditions, which would be useful to park ecologists in developing new conservation and regeneration plans to prevent the extinction of this already severely threatened high-elevation resource. The purpose of this study is to determine in great temporal and spatial detail the demographics of the current stand of whitebark pine trees in the watershed surrounding an unnamed, high-altitude pond (known informally as Whitebark Pine Moraine Pond) located approximately 3.06 miles NW of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). The main objectives of this study were: 1.) To obtain the precise GPS locations of the current stand of whitebark pine trees in the watershed to generate a GIS map detailing their locations. 2.) To obtain increment cores of a subset of the trees in the watershed to estimate age and date of establishment for the current stand of whitebark pines, with particular attention to fire history. 3.) To analyze ring widths from core samples to identify climatic indicators that may influence the regeneration and survival of whitebark pine.

Fire regimes and their correlates in the Darwin region of northern Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen Price ◽  
Bryan Baker
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Landsat Imagery ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Generalized Linear Modelling

A nine year fire history for the Darwin region was created from Landsat imagery, and examined to describe the fire regime across the region. 43% of the region burned each year, and approximately one quarter of the fires occur in the late dry season, which is lower than most other studied areas. Freehold land, which covers 35% of the greater Darwin region, has 20% long-unburnt land. In contrast, most publicly owned and Aboriginal owned land has very high fire frequency (60-70% per year), and only 5% long unburnt. It seems that much of the Freehold land is managed for fire suppression, while the common land is burnt either to protect the Freehold or by pyromaniacs. Generalized Linear Modelling among a random sample of points revealed that fire frequency is higher among large blocks of savannah vegetation, and at greater distances from mangrove vegetation and roads. This suggests that various kinds of fire break can be used to manage fire in the region. The overall fire frequency in the Darwin region is probably too high and is having a negative impact on wildlife. However, the relatively low proportion of late dry season fires means the regime is probably not as bad as in some other regions. The management of fire is ad-hoc and strongly influenced by tenure. There needs to be a clear statement of regional fire targets and a strategy to achieve these. Continuation of the fire mapping is an essential component of achieving the targets.

Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuomo Wallenius ◽  
Markku Larjavaara ◽  
Juha Heikkinen ◽  
Olga Shibistova
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Fire History ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Tree Ring Chronology ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
History Of ◽  
Historical Accounts ◽  
Additional Explanation

To study the poorly known fire history of Larix-dominated forest in central Siberia, we collected samples from 200 trees in 46 systematically located study plots. Our study area stretches ~90 km from north to south along the River Nizhnyaya Tunguska in northern Irkustk district. Cross-dated tree-ring chronology for all samples combined extended from the year 1360 AD to the present and included 76 fire years and 88 separate fire events. Average fire cycle gradually lengthened from 52 years in the 18th century to 164 years in the 20th century. During the same time, the number of recorded fires decreased even more steeply, i.e. by more than 85%. Fires were more numerous but smaller in the past. Contrary to expectations, climate change in the 20th century has not resulted in increased forest fires in this region. Fire suppression may have contributed to the scarcity of fires since the 1950s. However, a significant decline in fires was evident earlier; therefore an additional explanation is required, a reduction in human-caused ignitions being likely in the light of historical accounts.

Forest fire's influence on yellow hedysarum habitat and its use by grizzly bears in Banff National Park, Alberta

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (10) ◽  
pp. 1513-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hamer
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
National Park ◽  
Ursus Arctos ◽  
Fibre Content ◽  
Grizzly Bears ◽  
Canadian Rocky Mountains ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Banff National Park ◽  
Root Quality

Hedysarum (Hedysarum spp.) roots are a primary food of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Front Ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I studied the effects of recent forest fire on yellow hedysarum (H. sulphurescens) habitat by comparing root density, mass, fibre content, ease of digging, and use by grizzly bears in and adjacent to two prescribed burns that were conducted in Banff National Park, Alberta, in 1986 (Cascade Valley) and 1990 (Panther Valley). Digging was 12-14% easier in burned than in forested habitat. In the Cascade burn, yellow hedysarum roots were significantly more abundant and heavier than in the adjacent forest. This burn was intensively dug by grizzly bears between 1995 and 1997, but no diggings were found in the adjacent forest. In the Panther burn, no significant differences in root quality or mass were found. Bears dug few roots in the burn and did not dig in the adjacent forest. Their use of these two burns demonstrates prescribed fire's potential to create important yellow hedysarum digging habitat for grizzly bears in Banff National Park.

Mapping fuels in Yosemite National Park

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth H. Peterson ◽  
Janet Franklin ◽  
Dar A. Roberts ◽  
Jan W. van Wagtendonk
Keyword(s):  
Random Forests ◽  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Remotely Sensed ◽  
Yosemite National Park ◽  
Natural Fire ◽  
Fuel Loads ◽  
Fuel Models

Decades of fire suppression have led to unnaturally large accumulations of fuel in some forest communities in the western United States, including those found in lower and midelevation forests in Yosemite National Park in California. We employed the Random Forests decision tree algorithm to predict fuel models as well as 1-h live and 1-, 10-, and 100-h dead fuel loads using a suite of climatic, topographic, remotely sensed, and burn history predictor variables. Climate variables and elevation consistently were most useful for predicting all types of fuels, but remotely sensed variables increased the kappa accuracy metric by 5%–12% age points in each case, demonstrating the utility of using disparate data sources in a topographically diverse region dominated by closed-canopy vegetation. Fire history information (time-since-fire) generally only increased kappa by 1% age point, and only for the largest fuel classes. The Random Forests models were applied to the spatial predictor layers to produce maps of fuel models and fuel loads, and these showed that fuel loads are highest in the low-elevation forests that have been most affected by fire suppression impacting the natural fire regime.

Fire Regimes on Andesitic Mountain Terrain in Northeastern Yellowstone-National-Park, Wyoming

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
SW Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Yellowstone National Park ◽  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Short Interval ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Forest Community

A fire history investigation was conducted for three forest community types in the Absaroka Mountains of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Master fire chronologies were based on fire-initiated age classes and tree fire scars. The area's major forest type, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia) ecosystems, revealed a predominant pattern of stand replacing fires with a 200 year mean interval-nearly half the length estimated in previous studies of lodgepole pine on less productive subalpine plateaus in YNP. High elevation whitebark pine (P. albicaulis Engelm.) forests had primarily stand replacing fires with >350 year mean intervals, but some stands near timberline also occasionally experienced mixed severity- or non-lethal underburns. Before nearly a century of effective fire suppression in Yellowstone's northern range, lower elevation Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco.) communities adjacent to Artemesia tridentata (Nutt.) grasslands experienced primarily non-lethal underburns at 30 year mean intervals. While short interval fire regimes have been altered by longterm fire suppression, fire exclusion apparently had only limited influence on the area's infrequently burned ecosystems prior to widespread stand replacement burning in 1988.

Fire history and vegetation pattern of coniferous forests in Jasper National Park, Albert

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (18) ◽  
pp. 1912-1931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald F. Tande
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Structural Heterogeneity ◽  
Vegetation Pattern ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Jasper National Park ◽  
Fire Scar ◽  
High Elevations

Periodicity, location, extent, and severity of fires from 1665 to 1975 were determined for a 43 200-ha area of Jasper National Park using fire-scar dendrochronology. Before fire suppression began in 1913, there were 46 fires with a mean fire return interval (MFRI) of 5.5 years. Twenty-four fires each covered more than 500 ha and had a MFRI of 8.4 years. Fires covering more than 50% of the area had a MFRI of 65.5 years. Present forests originated primarily after the fires of 1889, 1847, and 1758. Most fires between 1665 and 1913 were low to medium intensity, but higher intensities did occur. Interaction of fire periodicity, intensity, and extent determined age, size, density, crown height, and temporal frequency of forest patches. Stands varied from even-age- to multiple-age-classes intermingled over short distances. Multiple-aged stands dominated lower elevations and were maintained by frequent removal, by fire, of low organic matter accumulations. Large, continuous, even-aged forests occurred at mid to high elevations where mesic moisture regimes allowed greater fuel accumulations, and consequently, more intense fires during droughts. Fire periodicity and extent have declined since 1913, accompanied by reduced structural heterogeneity of the forests.

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