Fire history and climatic patterns in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of the Jemez Mountains, Northern New Mexico

We reconstructed fire history in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests across the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico. We collected fire-scarred samples from ten ponderosa pine areas, and three mesic mixed-conifer areas. Prior to 1900, ponderosa pine forests were characterized by high frequency, low intensity surface fire regimes. The mixed-conifer stands sustained somewhat less frequent surface fires, along with patchy crown fires. We also examined the associations between past fires and winter-spring precipitation. In both ponderosa pine and mixed- conifer forests, precipitation was significantly reduced in the winter-spring period immediately prior to fire occurrence. In addition, winter-spring precipitation during the second year preceding major fire years in the ponderosa pine forest was significantly increased. The results of this study pro- vide baseline knowledge concerning the ecological role of fire in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests. This information is vital to support ongoing ecosystem management efforts in the Jemez Mountains.