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Author(s):
Annette Parson, Peter R. Robichaud, Sarah A. Lewis, Carolyn Napper, Jess T. Clark
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Communication & Education
Public Perspectives of Fire Management
Fire Effects
Ecological - First Order
Fire Intensity / Burn Severity
Fuel Consumption
Soil Heating
Ecological - Second Order
Soils
Post-fire Management
Fire Regime

NRFSN number: 15310
FRAMES RCS number: 10048
Record updated:

Following wildfires in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of the Interior mobilize Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams to assess immediate post-fire watershed conditions. BAER teams must determine threats from flooding, soil erosion, and instability. Developing a postfire soil burn severity map is an important first step in the rapid assessment process. It enables BAER teams to prioritize field reviews and locate burned areas that may pose a risk to critical values within or downstream of the burned area. By helping to identify indicators of soil conditions that differentiate soil burn severity classes, this field guide will help BAER teams to consistently interpret, field validate, and map soil burn severity.

Citation

Parson, Annette; Robichaud, Peter R.; Lewis, Sarah A.; Napper, Carolyn; Clark, Jess T. 2010. Field guide for mapping post-fire soil burn severity. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-243. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 49 p.

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