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Author(s):
Sharon M. Hood, Sheri L. Smith, Danny R. Cluck
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Effects
Ecological - First Order
Ecological - Second Order
Vegetation
Fire Regime
Fire Intensity / Burn Severity
Fuels
Fuels Inventory & Monitoring

NRFSN number: 16311
FRAMES RCS number: 7331
Record updated:

Fire injury was characterized and survival monitored for 5,246 trees from five wildfires in California that occurred between 1999 and 2002. Logistic regression models for predicting the probability of mortality were developed for incense-cedar, Jeffrey pine, ponderosa pine, red fir and white fir. Two-year post-fire preliminary models were developed for incensecedar, Jeffrey pine, ponderosa pine and white fir. Three- and four-year post-fire models are presented for white fir and red fir, respectively. Mortality was predicted using percent crown length kill and cambium kill in all optimal models. Diameter at breast height was also a significant variable in all models except for red fir. A pre-bud break model for pine using crown length scorch was also developed. Additional models are provided for each species without the cambium injury variable to show the predictive capability lost when this variable is not assessed. A comparison between bark char classification and cambium condition status was also performed to determine the validity of using bark char classifications as a surrogate for cambium sampling. Light and deep bark char codes are relatively accurate in predicting live and dead cambium, respectively. However, the moderate bark char rating is not a good predictor of cambium status.

Citation

Hood, Sharon M.; Smith, Sheri L.; Cluck, Daniel R. 2007. Delayed conifer tree mortality following fire in California. Pages 261-283. In: Powers, Robert F., tech. editor. Restoring fire-adapted ecosystems: proceedings of the 2005 national silviculture workshop. General Technical Report PSW-GTR-203. Albany, CA: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station.