Fire history in a Sequoiasempervirens forest at Salt Point State Park, California

Abstract

Fire occurrence data between the 12th and 20th centuries were obtained from analysis of fire scars on coast redwood (Sequoiasempervirens (D. Don.) Endl.) and bishop pine (Pinusmuricata D. Don.). Mean fire intervals were calculated for settlement and presettlement periods from fire scar samples individually (point data) and from composites of samples aggregated within three approximately 200-ha study areas. Mean fire intervals from point data (20.5 to 29.0 years) were more than three times greater than mean intervals from composite data (6.1 to 9.3 years). Mean fire intervals derived from point data compared well with values previously reported, although substantial bias ascribed to point data suggests that these values for mean fire intervals in redwood forest communities are too large. A period of significantly longer fire intervals during the 17th century was suggested by analysis of fire intervals by century and using a moving average.