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reburn bob marshall_0.JPGPrevious fires can influence the behavior subsequent wildfires. In many cases, previous fires have been shown to reduce the spread and severity of subsequent wildfires on the landscape, thereby serving as a natural fuel treatment. The influence exerted by previous fires varies with climate, location, time since fire, and vegetation, among other factors.

An understanding of the potential impacts of previous fires on the characteristics of subsequent fires is important in informing land management decisions, developing fuel management strategies, and allocating fire-fighting resources. The increasing size and extent of wildfires in the Northern Rockies region over the past several decades makes this topic even more relevant as fires become more and more likely to burn into previously burned areas.

The resources curated here contain the most recent and applicable information on this issue.  

This hot topic was developed in partnership with the University of Idaho.

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