Research Supporting Sound Decisions
JFSP Products and Deliverables may include publications, reports, Web sites, software or other deliverables produced with JFSP contributed funds. They have been organized into several key functional areas that include: Fire and Fuels Treatment Effects; Planning and Preparedness; Air Quality, Smoke Management and Climate; Social and Economic Impacts; Fire and Invasive Plant Species; Remote Sensing; and Demonstration Sites, Admin. Studies, and Local Needs.
JFSP PRODUCTS and DELIVERABLES
In this section:
Joint
Fire Science Program
3833 S. Development Ave.
Boise, Idaho 83705
208-387-5349 - Program Manager
208-387-5958 - Program Assistant
208-387-5865 - Tech. Transfer Specialist
208-387-5960
- (fax)
You may search JFSP Products by the following: Project Number, Title, Principal Investigator, Cooperators or key words contained in a brief description of the project.
Fire and Fuels Treatment Effects
|
Photo Series for Major Natural Fuel Types of the United States
– Phase III The natural fuels stereo photo series is a collection of georeferenced data and photographs that display a range of natural conditions, fuel loadings, and other fuelbed characteristics in a wide variety of forest-, woodland-, shrub-, and grass-dominated ecosystem types. The photo series are useful tools for quickly and inexpensively evaluating vegetation and fuel conditions in the field. The objectives of this project were to: Continue the development of the Natural Fuels Photo Series to include a up to of six additional fuelbed types not covered by previous projects. Further Information at: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/fera/photoseries.html#three |
|
Predicting
lightning risk Lightning
causes most wildfires in the western United States and is a
major cause of fire elsewhere. Simple predictions of Lightning
Activity Level do not accurately determine fire ignition potential
because most lightning is accompanied by significant precipitation.
Scientists are adapting a methodology to assess the risk of
dry lightning so that it can be incorporated into fire preparedness
and planning. Fire weather forecasters will be able to use these
results to improve predictions of lightning caused fire ignitions.
Also, the algorithms can be applied to historical data, allowing
assessments of dry lightning activity over time and space. Benefits
include improved fire preparedness and resource allocation during
the wildfire season and improved assessment of risk for longer
term (5-10 year) planning horizons Final Report:
01-1-6-08 final
report |
Fires,
Management, and Land Mosaic Interactions: A Generic Spatial
Model and Toolkit from Stand to Landscape Scales A spatially explicit, PC Windows-bsed generic model accompanied by computer visualizations of forest stands and landscapes was developed from this project. These tools allow land managers to examine the interaction of fire and management practices on current and future conditions in real landscapes. The model can be used to assess fuel loading and fire risk, visualize stand dynamics, fuel accumulation and fire spread, and develop strategies for reducing the risk of fire under a variety of climates, fire disturbances, and management scenarios. Outputs from the FARSITE model are displayed in the form of images. Several
publications are available: |
| Changes
in Fire Regimes and the Successional Status of Table Mountain
Pine (Pinus pungens Lamb.) in the Southern Appalachians Table mountain pine is an ecologically valuable species found only in the Appalachian region of the United States and is heavily dependent on repeated surface fires for successful regeneration. Alterations to fire regimes in the southern Appalachians due to fire exclusion policies may be preventing the establishment of new pine seedlings, leading to concerns that the species may eventually be extirpated. Dendroecological techniques were used to investigate both the age structure and fire history of table mountain pine populations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding national forests. Results will provide managers with information critical for reintroducing fire into forests where this pine species exists. Further information at: http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/ltrs/projects.htm |
| Can
Wildland Fire Use Restore Natural Fire Regimes in Wilderness
and Other Unroaded Lands? The goal of this project was to help evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of wildland fire use (WFU) as a strategy for restoring historical fire regimes in wilderness and on other unroaded lands. Five wilderness areas and national parks were used as study areas to develop the analysis approach, which were then used to evaluate the existing fire management plans at each of these study areas. The information produced resulted in improved understanding of the options for restoring and managing fire in unroaded, wilderness, and similar areas and provides a tool for evaluating and understanding management and restoration goals in unroaded, wilderness, and other areas with restricted access. The
final report submitted to JFSP can be viewed at: |
| Development
of a Computer Model for Management of Fuels, Human-Fire Interactions,
and Wildland Fires in the Boreal Forests of Alaska Interior Alaska contains 140 million burnable acres and includes the largest National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges in the country. Wildland fires threaten human values and are also crucial for the maintenance of forest ecosystems in Alaska. The goal of this project is to develop a computer-based, fire management and planning model called Boreal ALFRESCO. The model utilizes physical, biological, and human thematic layes to simulate ecosystem dynamics. Output maps depict the responses of vegetation cover and fuel accumulation under different scenarios of fire management and climate change over a range of time scales from decades to centuries and will assist land managers in designing and implementing fire management plans. You
can download a PowerPoint presentation of the Boreal ALFRESCO
at: |
| Real-Time
Evaluation of Fuel Treatments and Other Previous Land Management
Activities on Fire Behavior during Wildfires This project utilized a rapid response team to measure pre- and post-fire fuel conditions and fire behavior on nine wildland fires during the summer and fall of 2003 in areas with various fuel treatments and other past land-use management activities. The types of directly measured relationships summarized will improve predictions of fire behavior during wildfire events, help ensure firefighter safety, and increase the scientific basis for planning and implementing fuel reduction programs. Final
Report: 01C-2-1-08_final_report.pdf |
| Testing
an approach to improve fire fuel mapping by modeling fuel structure
and types based on combined satellite imagery and field data
Key to successful fire prevention, management, and fire behavior prediction is large area, high quality, spatially explicit datasets that depict fuel characteristics. Characterizing fuel types require specialized field data, such effort is very difficult to sustain over large geographic areas. Current fuel maps are usually based on conversion of vegetation maps developed for other purposes, which often result in low spatial accuracy. This research is to develop and test a methodology to map the spatial distribution of several key fire fuel attributes over large geographic areas taking advantages of remote sensing data and ground measurements (such as that collected by the Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program). Final
Report: 00-1-3-05
final report |
Spatial
interactions among fuels, wildfire, and invasive plants Synergistic interactions among fuels, extreme wildfire behavior, and exotic species invasions are increasingly recognized as major threats to the structure and function of natural ecosystems. No standardized investigation of these interactions has been conducted to date. Researchers will study fuels, burn severity, and invasive species in areas recently affected by large wildfires to determine the factors that contribute to post-fire invasion and persistence of exotic plants and to identify effective mitigation options for land managers Final Report: 00-1-2-01 final report |
| Effect
of Fuels Treatment on Wildfire Severity This project investigated the severity of four recent wildfires that burned into existing fuel treatment areas. Treatments included repeated prescribed fires, single prescribed fires, debris removal, and mechanical thinning both with and without slash removal. The historic fire regime of all sampled ecosystems was of the short fire return interval type and included Mississippi slash pine, California Douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine in Colorado and New Mexico. Crown fire hazard, fire resistance, and fire severity were compared between treated and untreated areas. Results unanimously indicate that treated stands experience lower fire severity than untreated stands that burn under similar weather and topographic conditions. Further
information at: |
| Southern
Utah Fuels Management Demonstration Project The Southern Utah Fuel Management Demonstration Project project creatively linked current technology in a consistent and comprehensive manner to allow comparisons of alternatives for fuels management for roughly 15 million acres of Southern Utah. The databases and models developed were used to support the planning and implementation of an integrated landscape level fuels management program for Southern Utah. The project explicitly modeled temporal changes in the form of varying fire weather/danger and succession to evaluate prescribed treatment alternatives for the major vegetation types in Southern Utah. The goal was to improve the fuels management program in Southern Utah by establishing an interagency demonstration area and develop a process, models, data, and protocols suitable for conducting analysis on other ecosystems. For
further information visit the project website at: http://www.firelab.org/fep/research/sufm/home.htm |
| Quantification
of Canopy Fuels in Conifer Forests Crown fires in low elevation conifer forests have become common due to management practices including fire suppression and selective timber harvest. These fires present particular problems for fire managers because they are more difficult to suppress than surface fires. Two characteristics that significantly affect the incidence of crown fires are canopy base height and canopy bulk density. Inability to consistently measure canopy fuels in stands of different species composition and structure limits our ability to predict crown fire hazard and behavior. This research was focused on comparing methods for estimating canopy characteristics and developing a consistent method for inventorying canopy fuels that can be used across agency boundaries. Results will aid in mapping fuel, assessing risk, designing fuel treatments, and simulating fire behavior. For
a Stereo Photo Guide for Estimating Canopy Fuels, go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr145.html |
| Mixed-severity
fire regime in a high-elevation forest of Grand Canyon, Arizona,
USA Fire regime characteristics of high-elevation forests on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, were reconstructed from fire scar analysis, remote sensing, tree age, and forest structure measurements, a first attempt at detailed reconstruction of the transition from surface to stand-replacing fire patterns in the Southwest. Currently the forest is predominantly spruce-fir, mixed conifer, and aspen. In contrast, dendroecological reconstruction of past forest structure showed that the forest in 1880 was very open, corresponding closely with historical (1910) accounts of severe fires leaving partially denuded landscapes. Information about historical fire regime and forest structure is valuable for managers but the information is probably less specific and stable for high-elevation forests than for low elevation ponderosa pine forests. Further
info at: |
Temporal
and Spatial Variation in the Fire Regimes of an Old-Growth New
Mexico Pine Forest: Baseline Data for Ecosystem Process Restoration Monument Canyon Research Natural Area (MCRNA) in the Jemez Mountains of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico includes some of the oldest remaining ponderosa pine stands in the southwestern United States. Fire history data was collected and analyzed on a systematic sampling grid across the study area. This approach permited an evaluation of the extent to which descriptions of the surface fire regime are scale dependent. A variety of tools adapted from biogeography were applied to build an analytical framework for understanding scaling properties in the area’s patchy surface fire history. Site level data were combined with a larger fire history data set for the Jemez Mountains. Variation in the fire regime at different scales can help managers and restoration ecologists determine historic reference conditions for key disturbance processes. Further information at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p029/rmrs_p029_301_318.pdf |
| Develop
a Landscape-Scale Framework for Interagency Wildland Fuels Management
Planning Starting in 1999, southern Sierra Nevada fir and technical staffs from federal and local agencies began systematically designing and developing an interagency collaborative framework for identifying and treating fuels across the landscape. The project included six major watersheds and an astonishing diversity of vegetation and fuel types covering approximately 4.8 million acres. Results include geospatial datasets, collaborative risk and hazard values, and a GIS tool called Asset Analyzer. Further information at: http://ssgic.cr.usgs.gov/ |
| Using
Goats to Prevent or Reduce Wildland Fire Danger in Shrub Dominated
Wildland-Urban Interface Areas This project was aimed at providing fire managers with the data they need to determine if using goats as a fuel reduction tool is appropriate for their management purposes, and to give them the information necessary for successful implementation. Further information at: http://www.livestockforlandscapes.com |
| Assessing
the Need, Costs, and Potential Benefits of Prescribed Fire and
Mechanical Treatments to Reduce Fire Hazard This research is focused on determining the needs, costs, and benefits of hazard reduction treatments in Montana and New Mexico. Outputs from this project will provide managers from different agencies, ownerships, and regions with methods to synthesize and share information to facilitate planning and scheduling fuel treatments. Results from the study suggest that by considering a variety of silvicultural prescriptions, managers can find ways to treat many stands to reduce fire hazard and improve ecological conditions without the need for financial subsidies. Primary tools include the forest vegetation simulator (FVS) growth and yield model with the Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE) and the Financial Evaluation of Ecosystem Management Activities (FEEMA) model. This analytical protocol is portable to anywhere in the western United States where an FVS variant with an FFE extension and a FEEMA variant are available. Further
information at: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/woodquality/ |
| Development
of Coarse-Scale Spatial Data for Wildland Fire and Fuel Management
This
project involved mapping and characterization of historic natural
fire regimes and current vegetation conditions, and development
of an index of departure for use in national-level fire management
planning. Development of the initial map of Historical Natural
Fire Regimes for the conterminous United States was completed. Further information and data at: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fuelman/ |
| Rainbow
Series - Effects of Fire on Fauna;
RMRS-GTR-42-
Volume 1 This state-of-knowledge review about the effects of fire on fauna can assist land managers with ecosystem and fire management planning and in their efforts to inform others about the ecological role of fire. Chapter topics include Regional Variation in Fire Regimes, Direct Effects of Fire and Animal Repsonses, Effects on Animal Populations, Fire Effects on Animal Communities, Fire Effects on Fauna at Landscape Scales, Fire Effects on Wildlife Foods, and Management and Research Implications. Further information on this Volume of the Rainbow Series can be obtained at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr42_1.html or by contacting Jane Kapler-Smith |
| Rainbow
Series - Effects of Fire on Flora; RMRS-GTR-42- Volume 2 This state-of-knowledge review about the effects of fire on flora and fuels can assist land managers with ecosystem and fire management planning and in their efforts to inform others about the ecological role of fire. Chapter topics include fire regime classification, autecological effects of fire, fire regime characteristics and postfire plant community developments in ecosystems throughout the United States and Canada, global climate change, ecological principles of fire regimes, and practical considerations for managing fire in an ecosytem context. Further information on this Volume of the Rainbow Series can be obtained at:http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr42_2.html or by contacting James K. Brown or Jane Kapler-Smith |
| Rainbow
Series - Effects of Fire on Air;
RMRS-GTR-42-
Volume 5 This state-of-knowledge review about the effects of fire on air quality can assist land, fire, and air resource managers with fire and smoke planning, and their efforts to explain to others the science behind fire-related program policies and practices to improve air quality. Chapter topics include air quality regulations and fire; characterization of emissions from fire; the transport, dispersion, and modeling of fire emissions; atmospheric and plume chemistry; air quality impacts of fire; social consequences of air quality impacts; and recommendations for future research. Further information on this Volume of the Rainbow Series can be obtained at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr42_5.html or by contacting David V. Sandberg |
| First
Order Fire Effects Model First order fire effects are those that concern the direct or immediate consequences of fire. The First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) is a computer program that was developed to meet needs of resource managers, planners, and analysts in predicting and planning for fire effects. FOFEM predicts a number of fire effects including: tree mortality from surface fire, based on flame length or scorch height, and tree species and size; consumption of down woody fuels by size class; resultant fire intensity over time using the BURNUP model; emissions (and emission rate) of PM10, PM2.5, CO, CO2, CH4, NOX and SO2 by flaming and smoldering combustion; and soil heating at a range of soil depths over time since ignition. Further
information at: http://fire.org/index.php?option=content&task=category§ionid=2&id=12&Itemid=31 |
| BehavePlus
Fire Modeling System Version 1.0.0 BehavePlus is a Windows ® application to predict wildland fire behavior for fire management purposes. It is designed for use by fire and land managers who are familiar with fuels, weather, topography, wildfire situations, and associated terminology. The BehavePlus fire modeling system replaces the 1984 DOS version of the BEHAVE fire behavior prediction and fuel modeling system. Further
information at: |
| Fuels
and Fire Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator
The Fire and Fuels Extension to FVS (FFE-FVS) is a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed fire and fuel management treatments in the context of potential fire effects on short- and long-term stand dynamics, important to silviculture, wildlife habitat, and fuel hazard. Adding fire to FVS was accomplished by programming an extension to FVS largely based on existing models of fire behavior (including crowning) and fire effects. Models that represent snag dynamics and down wood decomposition were constructed to complete the system. FFE-FVS has proven useful in evaluating trade-off analyses, scheduling fuel treatments, providing links to economic assessments, evaluating emissions, preparing forest plans and justifying fuel treatment schedules of forested lands in the Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Land Management Further information can be obtained at: http://www.fs.fed.us/fmsc/fvs/ or by downloading the General Technical Report at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr116.pdf |
| Historic
Fire Regimes and Change Since European Settlement on the Northern
Mixed Prairie: Effect on Ecosystem Function and Fire Behavior Wildfires are common on the Northern Mixed Prairie. Fuels (both live and dead), plant species, soil surface protection and biodiversity have changed over the past half century. This research project was designed to determine changes in fire regimes which have occurred since European settlement, describe the effects of these changes on the ecosystem and describe and compare historic and post-European settlement fire behavior. The study showed that various plant species respond differently in response to fire. Final Report: 98-1-5-04final_report.pdf |
Fire
Regimes and Fuel Treatments The size and severity of recent fire episodes are widely attributed to altered fuel profiles as a result of fire exclusion and fire regime disruption. Recent fires also have increased public awareness about the risks and hazards of wildland fires. Current national fuels management initiatives propose widespread application of prescribed fire and other treatments both to reduce the potential of catastrophic wildfire and to restore the structure and function of altered ecosystems. However, the chain of hypotheses that link historic fire regimes to appropriate fuel treatment application has not received a systematic assessment. This project sought to provide such an assessment with a series of quantitative literature syntheses that focused on the following questions: 1) Are the effects of 20th Century fire exclusion on fire frequency related to historic fire regimes? 2) Are 20th century changes in fuel conditions and fire hazard most apparent in ecosystems where fire was historically most frequent? 3) Is there a relationship between historic fire regimes and fuel treatment efficacy? 4) Can geographic variables be used as predictors of historic fire regimes to facilitate their incorporation into fuel management planning? The
Final Report is available at: 98-1-5-01_final
report.pdf |
| Management
and Wildlife Habitat: Quantity and Quality Relationships This project constitutes the most comprehensive study of forest-floor fuels and associated wildlife responses in Pacific Northwest forests to date. The objectives of this project were to determine the responses of forest-floor material (course woody debris, duff/leaf litter) and associated herpetofauna to fire in forest stands. Most of the study areas were located on wildfires that occurred in northern California and southern Oregon, however some prescribed fires in North Carolina and northern California were also examined. Research results suggest several new and important findings about fuel reduction and wildlife response 1-5 years post-fire. Final reports can be obtained upon request from the JFSP Office. |
Stand
Replacement Prescribed Burning for Fuel Reduction and Regeneration
of Table Mountain Communities in the Southern Applacahian Mountains Previous research suggests that high-intensity stand-replacement fires are needed to restore these communities because they will open the forest canopy and expose mineral soil. Six studies conducted prescribed burns to better understand the conditions necessary for pine regeneration. Together, these studies examine community response to varying degrees of fire intensity, as well as seedling establishment in varying types of microhabitat. Further
information at: http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/ffs_gr/ |
| Photo
Series for Major Natural Fuel Types of the United States, Phase
II The natural fuels stereo photo series is a collection of georeferenced data and photographs that display a range of natural conditions, fuel loadings, and other fuelbed characteristics in a wide variety of forest-, woodland-, shrub-, and grass-dominated ecosystem types. The photo series are useful tools for quickly and inexpensively evaluating vegetation and fuel conditions in the field. The objectives of this project were to: (1) complete an assessment of the literature and the needs of land managers to define a maximum of 10 fuelbed types and their associated fuel elements for further development of the Natural Fuels Photo Series; (2) locate, photograph, and inventory a maximum of 20 sites within a fuelbed type that cover a range of fuel and vegetation conditions and (3) produce a printer-ready manuscript, and assist with the printing process. Further
information at: |
| Techniques
for Creating a National Interagency Process for Predicting Preparedness
Levels A critical operational need exists for dispatch coordinators, fire managers and agency administrators to determine preparedness levels on a national, multi-agency basis. The preparedness planning processes now in place resulted from mandates and direction following the Yellowstone Fires in 1988. Today, however, the country requires an enhanced and standardized preparedness level forecasting system that is proactive and can respond to emerging situation as well as disastrous and tragic fires along with critical resource shortages we now face along with future changes in fire policy and management. The Joint Fire Sciences Program funded this National Preparedness Levels Study Project to address these challenges by creating a blueprint, the National Preparedness Level (NPL) Business Model. Developed by an interagency team of business experts and technical specialists, the model was developed using a structured business process approach to design and build a National Preparedness Level Planning System The final report is available at: 01-1-7-06_Final_Report.pdf |
| Assessing
the Value of Mesoscale Models in Predicting Fire Danger Numerical weather models are being relied on more and more to develop fire weather forecasts and predict fire behavior and fire danger. Their accuracy in these applications, however, has heretofore been unknown. The purpose of this project was to study model predictions during the 2000 fire season to identify the effectiveness of mesoscale weather models in predicting fire danger and related fire weather and to integrate the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) with a fine scale numerical weather prediction model (MM5). A
summary of the case study can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/airfire/mm5case |
| Development
and implementation of a system for the prediction of fire-induced
tree mortality This research resulted in the development of a stand-alone executable version of the model FireStem. FireStem predicts species and diameter dependent mortality of the tree stem cambial tissue as a function of fire intensity and duration. The model includes both thermal and mortality modeling research findings. Research indicates that FireStem accurately predicts mortality for 75% of the test cases and could form the foundation of a comprehensive tool for predicting whole tree mortality caused by the combined effects of fire-induced injury to the roots, stem, and canopy of trees. For
more information or downloading FireStem,
go to: http://www.firelab.org/fbp/fbresearch/stemheating/Homepage.htm |
|
Wildland
Fuels Management: Evaluating and Planning Risks and Benefits The goal of this project was to develop methods to help wildland fire managers design long term, landscape scale management plans. Although wildland fire managers have a full spectrum of strategies available for reducing fuels, they lack tools for applying these strategies at landscape scales. This project designed, tested and delivered two tools, BurnPro and Fire Effects Planning Framework (FEPF), that allow managers to calculate and incorporate information on risks and benefits of fire into appropriate land management planning processes. The
final report is available at: 99-1-3-16_Final_Report.pdf |
| Spatial
and Temporal Analysis of Lightning and Fire Occurrence in Two
Rocky Mountain Wilderness Areas Changes in fire size, shape, and frequency under different fire-management strategies were evaluated using time series of fire perimeter data (fire atlases) and mapped potential vegetation types (PVTs) in the Gila – Aldo Leopold Wilderness Complex (GALWC) in New Mexico and the Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness Complex (SBWC) in Idaho and Montana. Analyses of fire atlases provide baseline information for evaluating landscape patterns across broad landscapes. Proactive fire and fuels management will be needed to restore fire regimes in each wilderness complex to within natural ranges of variability and to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in upper elevations of the GALWC and nearly the entire SBWC. Further
informaton at: Evaluating
fire patterns using digital fire atlases |
| Fire
Modeling for Fuel and Smoke Assessment The scope of this project was to develop, improve, and link fire models and incorporate them into systems designed for use by fire and land managers. BehavePlus, FARSITE and FlamMap were expanded and improved. Advances were made on Surface fire, Crown fire, Post frontal combustion, Emissions and dead fuel moisture. Further informaton at: http://fire.org/nav.mas?pages=JFSP&mode=1 |
Air Quality, Smoke Management and Climate
|
Fire and
Climate Variability in the Inland Pacific Northwest: Integrating
Science and Management This project developed a multi-scale analysis of the relationships between climate and topography and spatio-temporal patterns in historical fire regimes in the inland Pacific Northwest, using existing fire history data from six watersheds on the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville National Forests. The study investigated current year, lagged, and low frequency relationships between composite fire histories and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). The study documented clear differences in fire regimes between the historical period (ca. 1650-1900) and the period after initiation of fire suppression in the region (ca.1900) and developed a unique geo-spatial database that takes advantage of both the spatially explicit nature of the fire-history data and new paradigms in geographic information science. The
final report to the Joint Fire Science Program can be viewed
at: 01-1-6-01-final-report.pdf |
|
Improving
Model Estimates of Smoke Contributions to Regional Haze Using
Low-cost Sampler Systems Proper planning for prescribed fires requires evaluation of the potential contributions of smoke dispersion, transport, and deposition to regional haze. This is particularly difficult in Class I areas (National Parks and Wilderness Areas). A network of 60-90 monitoring sites were set up to gather data that can be used to describe spatial patterns of urban and smoke contributions to regional haze and to test regional visibility models. These models will be made available to Forest Service and Department of Interior smoke and resource managers. The final report is available upon request from the JFSP Program Office |
| Fire
Emission Production Simulator (FEPS) FEPS replaces and enhances the functionality of the original EPM (Emission Production Model). A significant number of improvements were made to the usability, applicability, and accuracy of the model. The calculation approach was totally redesigned. Algorithms are included to predict fuel\consumption that partitions outputs among flaming, smoldering and residual combustion stages based on fuel moisture inputs. Approximate plume rise is also predicted by FEPS. Further info at: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/fera/feps/index.html |
|
Technically
Advanced Smoke Estimation Tools (TASET) The TASET project was funded by the Joint Fire Science Program to develop a structured analysis of smoke management and to recommend specific developments for advancing the state of science in this field. The problem was approached by developing a structured analysis, using existing information from an assortment of sources, including the EPA interim Guidelines for Wildland Smoke, the Forest Service National Strategic Plan: Modeling and Data Systems for Wildland Fire and Air Quality, EPA regional haze regulations, similar documents, workshops and surveys completed by fire and air quality specialists. A specific set of nine recommendations were developed. The TASET report can be viewed at: http://www.cira.colostate.edu/smoke/TASETfinalREPORT.pdf |
| Fire
Effects Tradeoff Model (FETM) The Fire Effects Tradeoff Model Version 4 (FETM 4) is a landscape-scale, vegetation dynamcis and strategic planning model designed to simulate the long-term tradeoffs between wildland fire and various fuel treatment alternatives over large areas of the landscape encompassing diverse environmental conditions, natural fire regimes, and land management policies. Descriptions,
downloads, capabilities and example outputs of the
FETM
can be found at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/aq/fetm/index.htm |
VENTILATION
CLIMATE INFORMATION SYSTEM (VCIS) - Assessing Values of Air
Quality and Visibility at Risk from Wildland Fires
The Ventilation Climate Information System (VCIS) allows users to assess risks to values of air quality and visibility for historical patterns of ventilation conditions through an interactive, Internet map server. Ventilation potential can be overlain with sensitive receptors, terrain features, or political boundaries. The data apply to local, regional, or national scales. VCIS is based on a 40-year database that includes twice-daily values of wind, mixing height, and a ventilation index that is the product of wind speed and mixing height. Data are spatially interpolated to a grid of spacing of 2.5 minute latitude / longitude (about 5 km), except Alaska where the grid spacing is fixed at 5 km x 5 km. VCIS offers the first nationally-consistent maps of surface wind and ventilation index and includes the longest climate record of mixing height in the country. Project url: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/airfire/vcis/introduction.html |
|
Evaluation
Communication Strategies and Local Partnerships: Methods for
Reducing Fuels, Sharing Responsibility, and Building Trust This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of federal agency communication strategies and partnerships with local organizations for fuel reduction programs. Research was conducted at the community level where federal fire personnel have begun to work cooperatively with local jurisdictions and citizen groups to gain acceptance for agency programs and build joint responsibility for fire management activities. Further information at: http://jfsp.nifc.gov/JFSP_Bruce_Shindler.htm |
|
A
Social Assessment of Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Values
Related to Wildland Fire, Fire Risk, and Fire Recovery This
study focuses on the broad topic of public values, attitudes,
and behaviors toward wildfire. It contributes to the development
of a comprehensive understanding of public values, attitudes
and behaviors and understanding public preferences related to
fire and wildland management. Unlike previous and ongoing research,
the current The final report is available at: 01-1-3-30finalreport.pdf |
|
Evaluating
Public Responses to Wildland Fuels Management: Factors that
Influence Acceptance of Practices and Decision Processes The
purpose of this project was to evaluate the public’s perspectives
and acceptance of wildland fuel programs on federal forests
and rangelands. Surveys took place in seven fire-prone areas
in Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Florida and the
Great Lakes Region where citizens are familiar with forest conditions
and have a stake in management outcomes. Further
information can be found at: http://oregonstate.edu/%7Eshindleb/jfsp/ |
| Integrated
Fuels Treatment Assessment: Ecological, Economic, and Financial
Impacts This
project evaluated financial, economic and ecological information
to provide a guide to examine the implications of different
fuels management goals and understand the feasibility of applying
various fuel treatment methods over time. The project consisted
of a compilation of seven research initiatives relating to fuels
management including: The
final report is available at:99-1-1-05Final
Report.pdf |
|
Study
of Florida Residents Regarding Three Alternative Fuel Treatment
Programs The objective of this study was to determine the level of support Florida residents ascribed to three alternative fuel reduction techniques given location to recent large-scale wildfire events and differences in ethnicity and/or language. Gaps in knowledge and attitude toward prescribed fire exist between English and Spanish speaking residents. Although these disparities are present, the willingness to pay (WTP) for alternative fuel treatment programs was not shown to be statistically influenced by language, ethnicity, or location to recent large-scale wildfire events. For further information: http://jfsp.nifc.gov/documents/floridafinal.pdf |
|
Ecological
and Economic Consequences of the 1998 Florida Wildfires The 1998 wildfire season in Florida was particularly severe due to a variety of interrelated factors including: high rainfall totals partly attributable to El Nino, more than usual plant growth, and high moisture levels through the dormant season that prohibited prescribed burning of vegetation. Over a period of 6 weeks starting in early June 1998 more than 2,500 fires burned over 500,000 acres in Florida. This situation provided a rare opportunity to study the ecological and economic impacts of such an extreme event on southeastern forests. Individual study topics, objectives, results, and some management implications are presented in this report. This paper can be found at: http://flame.fl-dof.com/joint_fire_sciences/exec_sum.pdf |
Fire and Invasive Plant Species
|
Effects
of Invasive Alien Plants on Fire Regimes This article was the result of a symposium titled “Fire and Invasive Plant Ecology and Management: The Need for Integration to Effectively Restore Ecosystems”, held at the 2002 Ecological Society of America annual meeting. It presents a multiphase model describing the interrelationships between plant invaders and fire regimes, provides a system for evaluating the relative effects of invaders, prioritizing them for control, and recommends ways to restore pre-invasion fire regime properties. The article is available at: http://jfsp.nifc.gov/documents/brooks_alien_plants.pdf |
Proceedings
of the Invasive Species Workshop: The Role of Fire in the Control
and Spread of Invasive Species The purpose of the Fire and Invasive Species workshop was to assess the state of knowledge of the interactions of fire and invasive plants, including fire management practices related to control and susceptibility, influence of invasive species on fire regimes, influence of fire on invasive species, and influence of land use and land management practices on invasive species and fire. A further purpose was to identify management information needs and related research needs and priorities, and to raise national awareness of fire invasive species issues. The workshop proceedings are organized according to major eco-regions represented in the U.S.: Desert and Semi-Desert, Temperate Grasslands, Mediterranean Climates, Temperate and Boreal Coniferous Forests, Temperate Deciduous Forests, and Tropical and Subtropical Environments. Proceedings available at: jfsp.nifc.gov/invasive%20publications/invasiveproceedings.htm |
| Fire
Management Options for Controlling Woody Invasive Plants in
the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S. Alteration
of natural habitats by woody invasive plants is a concern for
land managers throughout the northeastern United States. This
project evaluated the effectiveness of applying various fuel
treatments at different times during the growing cycle for seven
woody invasive species: Gray Dogwood, Common Buckthorn, Multiflora
Rose, Japanese Barberry, Morrow’s Honeysuckle, Scotch
Broom, and Catbrier. Specific recommendations for each species
studied are included in the final report. Final
Report: 00-1-2-06final_report.pdf |
| Field
Measurements for the Training and Validation of Burn Severity
Maps from Spaceborne Remotely Sensed Imagery This project supports the refinement and validation of a next generation of imagery-based, burn severity maps that are used by Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams. Funds from the proposed project were used to collect geo-referenced validating remote sensing classifications. Processes have been established to rapidly acquire and process satellite imagery at low to moderate cost for BAER teams. Further info at: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/rsac/baer/jfs.html |
Demonstration Sites, Admin. Studies & Local Needs
| Weed
Invasions Following Fire in Southwestern Colorado: Long-Term
Effectiveness of Mitigation Treatments and Future Predictions This study investigated the patterns and processes of weed invasion following the 1989, 1996, and 2000 fires in Mesa Verde National Park (MNVP), to identify the kinds of plant communities that are most vulnerable to post-fire weed invasion, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of weed mitigation methods including aerial seeding of native grasses, chemical eradication, and mechanical eradication. Further
information at:http://www.usgs.nau.edu/SWEPIC/index.html |
Ecological
impacts of wheat seeding after a Sierra Nevada wildfire This study compared the vascular plant diversity and cover in seeded and unseeded parts of the Highway Fire burn, which occured on and adjacent to the Sequoia National Forest in the Sierra Nevada. An important objective of this BAER project was to control post-fire noxious weed invasion and evaluate the ecological impact of seeding an alien grass. Research results discuss post-fire species distribution, seedling recruitment and other ecological impacts on seeded and unseeded sites. Further information at: http://jfsp.nifc.gov/documents/keeley.pdf |
| Demonstrating
the Ecological Effects of Mechanical Thinning and Prescribed
Fire on Mixed-Conifer Forests A critical question in the Sierra Nevada is how to effectively use fuel treatments to restore forest ecosystems. The Teakettle Ecosystem Experiment was designed to compare the effects of fire and thinning on fundamental ecological processes in an old-growth forest by applying fire and thinning manipulations in a full factorial design. Integrated sampling methods and coordinated studies were used to examine vegetation, soil, microclimate, invertebrate and tree response conditions for 2-3 years before and for 3 years after treatments on 18 replicated plots. An
overview of the project is available at: Teakettle_Overview.pdf
and Teakettle_Managers.pdf |
|
Managing
Fuels in Northeastern Barrens Fire-dependent barrens of the Northeast are important habitat for numerous rare, threatened, and endangered species and also represent the most dangerous wildland fuel type in that region. Fire in barrens pose a significant wildland-urban interface risk in this densely populated area. Barrens occur throughout the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states on drought-prone soils, and are dominated by pitch pine, scrub oak, various tree oak species, and several ericaceous shrub species. Fire behavior in barrens vegetation is comparable to southern rough of the Southeast and chaparral of the West. Two demonstration sites have been established where barrens fuels are managed using innovative combinations of overstory thinning, mechanical treatment of shrub fuels, sheep grazing and prescribed fire to reduce fuel loads, wildfire intensity, and wildland-urban interface risk. This project is addressing the effectiveness of combination treatments in reducing fuel loads and fire intensity in barrens, and custom BEHAVE fuel models for both unaltered and managed barrens fuels will be revised, tested, and refined. Results from this project will be applicable to management of barrens fuels on federal, state, and private lands throughout the Northeast. A thesis
paper on "Characterizing Canopy Fuels as They Affect Fire
Behavior in Pitch Pine" by Matthew J. Duveneck is available
at: 01C-3-1-05duveneck_thesis.pdf |
Managing
Fuels and Forest Structure in the Southern Boreal Forest on
Minnesota's National Forests An unprecedented "Dericho" wind storm on July 4, 1999 changed the character of about 400,000 acres in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and surrounding area. Large areas of blowdown occurred creating huge concentrations of fuels and increasing the risk of large fires. This study established approximately 448 permanent plots and 1,700 sub-plots on 32 selected sites to monitor prescribed burning, salvage logging, piling and burning methods to alter the quantity and structure of the fuel profile. A
number of publications and reports are available at: Gilmore_Final_JFSP_Report00-2-23.pdf |
| A
Demonstration Area on Ecosystem Response to Watershed-Scale
Burns in Great Basin Pinyon-Junper Woodlands This project established a demonstration area on national forests in central Nevada to study the costs and ecological impacts of implementing large scale prescribed burns in areas where pinyon and juniper populations are increasing in native Great Basin ecosystems. Four research burns (2 to 6 hectares each) were conducted in spring 2002, and an additional 900 acres were treated within the watershed in spring 2004. Data on stand densities, fuel loads, understory vegetation, and soil and vegetation responses from the research burns were collected in 2002 through 2004 and a wide variety of publications resulted from the research conducted. The
final report for this project can be viewed at: 00_2_15final_report.pdf |
|
Workshop
on Fire and Climate History in Western North and South America
- Tucson, Arizona: March 23-28, 2002 The purpose of this workshop was to discuss recent advances in fire history and fire-climate research and to consider ways that different approaches might be integrated to develop a better understanding of the vegetation-fire-climate system. The workshop was attended by 70 scientists from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, England, Mexico, Russia, Switzerland, and the US. Discussions benefited from the concerted and collaborative effort among traditionally independent disciplines. More
infomation can be obtained at: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/impd/ |
|
5th
Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology Joint With 2nd International
Wildland Fire Ecology and Fire Management Congress This meeting brought together public officials, agency administrators, researchers, resource specialists, consultants, and students to address a variety of issues and research topics on wildfire, meteorology and climate.. The meeting was hosted by the AMS Committee on Fire and Forest Meteorology. Conference
proceedings available at: |
2001
Fire and Climate Workshops A Fire and Climate Workshop was conducted on February 14-16, 2001 in Tucson, Arizona. The workshop was designed to bring together key individuals from fire prone regions in the continental United States, climate experts, and officials from federal land management agencies to review the 2000 fire season, discuss potential fire risk for 2001, and identify ways that climate information can be better integrated into planning and decision making activities. An additional goal was to identify a process for sustaining interactions between fire managers, researchers, and climate forecasters to assure timely and appropriate provision of climate information. Workshop proceedings available at: www.ispe.arizona.edu/climas/conferences/fire2001/proceedings.html |
| Fourth
Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology: The 4th Symposium on Fire and Meteorology was held on November 13-15, 2001 in Reno, Nevada. This symposium was designed so that scientists could share experiences and information on new or changing technologies in weather and climate that affect fire, fuels and smoke as well as addressing the relationship between weather and climate with fuels inventory, treatments, evaluation and monitoring. A second goal was to foster interest and broaden understanding of fire among a new generation of scientists as they consider careers in wildland research. Symposium proceedings are available at: ams.confex.com/ams/4FIRE/techprogram/programexpanded_83.htm |
| Proceedings
from the Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop: June
15-17, 1999; Boise, Idaho The Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop, Crossing the Millennium: Integrating Spatial Technologies and Ecological Principles for a New Age in Fire Management, was held in Boise, Idaho on June 15 to 17, 1999. In attendance were 239 researchers, managers, students, and vendors. Fourteen percent of those in attendance came from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Included within this document are both complete papers and (where papers were not submitted) the original abstracts of presentations given during the GIS and Remote Sensing Session, Mapping Session, Hazard and Risk Session, Modeling Session, Treatments Session, and the Poster Session of the Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop. The Workshop Summary Report and lists of conference sponsors, participants and vendors are also included. Conference
proceedings are available at: http://jfsp.nifc.gov/conferenceproc/index.htm |