Fire
Fire
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Analyzing the Relationship Between Fire Size and Fire Severity in the Northwest
Analyzing the Relationship Between Fire Size and Fire Severity in the Northwest
Featured Project
Informing Forest Treatment Placement to Mitigate High-Severity Wildfire Risk
Informing Forest Treatment Placement to Mitigate High-Severity Wildfire Risk
Fire seasons are becoming longer and more intense across the United States. The CASC network works with partners to develop knowledge and tools to better understand region-specific drivers of wildfires, to aid fire management efforts, and to facilitate ecosystem recovery post-fire.
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USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West
The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to...
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Core Science Systems Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
From Water to Life: Impact of Climate Warming on Potential Wetland and First Foods Habitat in Traditional Use Areas of The Klamath Tribes
Project Overview First foods are integral components of the culture, spirituality, medicine, well-being, and health of the Klamath people. Throughout the Klamath Basin, climate change has substantially impacted the seasonality, abundance, and quality of first foods and other culturally important resources. These impacts compound with long-term challenges to food security and food...
Spurring Innovation in Adaptation to Altered Fire Regimes in the Sonoran Desert
Project Overview The biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert has been impacted by more frequent and more intense wildfires, as many of the plant species are unable to withstand nor regenerate after a severe fire. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will aid managers by addressing knowledge gaps in ecological restoration, as well as the challenges that come with restoration in...
Translating Science to Action in Southern California’s Montane Forests
Project Overview The montane forests of Southern California provide countless ecosystem services to the surrounding region, but as they face many climate-related impacts, particularly changes to wildfire regimes, the conservation of these forests is becoming increasingly important. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will leverage and extend an established collaborative...
Accelerating Science to Action Partnerships (ASAP): Implementing science-driven adaptation strategies in the 2-3-2 Landscape
Project Overview In the Southwestern U.S., decades of wildfire suppression, drought, and climate-drive aridification have resulted in unnatural fuel-loading across forests and grasslands. With wildfire severity and frequency on the rise, communities and ecosystems are seeing more post-fire impacts such as flooding and debris flow as well. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC...
Supporting Effective Fire Risk Management Through Research: A Collaboration Between the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center and the Joint Fire Science Program
Project Overview Fire regimes are changing in multiple ways, from longer, more extreme wildfire seasons to restricted opportunities for preventative fire management. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC collaboration will strengthen partnerships among other researchers and managers to implement science-based management approaches for adapting to changing fire regimes. Through...
Assessing the vulnerability of cultural resources to rainfall-driven erosion in the Deadman Wash and Wupatki Wash drainages of Wupatki National Monument, Arizona
Project Overview Increased precipitation events and environmental damage from wildfires have resulted in more severe flooding events in the southwest. While these events have impacts across the landscape, it has had a significant impact on cultural resources within the region’s National Parks and Monuments. Wupakti National Monument in particular has experienced adverse resource impacts...
Spread of invasive vegetation under climate change in the national parks of the Klamath Region
Project Overview: The Klamath Region of Oregon and California is a global hotspot of biodiversity, but invasive species, climate change, and severe fires threaten native biodiversity, even within national parks. Scientists supported by this Southwest CASC project will create early-warning maps of where invasive plants are most likely to spread, helping national park managers target their
Emergent threats from the interactions of heat extremes and wildland fire across Alaska
Project Overview Increasing heat and drought extremes are influencing the severity of wildfires in Alaska which, in turn, has led to an increase in smoky days. As a result, local communities are experiencing a rise in respiratory and cardiovascular issues. The researchers supported by this Alaska CASC project will collaborate with environmental health and fire management experts to...
Adding Fuel to the Fire: Determining Vegetation-Specific Drought Timescales That Enhance Fuel Flammability and Fire Potential
Project Overview Increasing severe drought events occurring across the Colorado Plateau can harm vegetation and create drier and more flammable fuel for wildfire. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will analyze drought indices and satellite data to show how quickly after drought begins that different types of vegetation across the region show signs of health declines...
After the Dams: Fire Impacts and Restoration Opportunities for a Culturally Important Klamath River Willow
Project Overview The sandbar willow of the Klamath River is used within the Karuk Tribe’s ongoing cultural practices of basketweaving. The willow has been threatened by intensifying fire and dams, but restoration and the recent historical dam removals provide an opportunity to increase the quantity, quality, and access to this important resource. Researchers supported by this Southwest...
Building Climate-Resilient Rangelands Amidst Fire, Grazing, and Ecological Invasion in California
Rangelands in California face significant challenges from climate change, wildfires, and invasive species, threatening their productivity and the benefits they provide to local communities. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will develop a management framework for restoring climate-resilient rangelands in California by examining interactions between fire, grazing, and...