Abstract
AbstractSynthesis of multiple sources of fire history information increases the power and reliability of fire regime characterization. Fire regime characterization is critical for assessing fire risk, identifying climate change impacts, understanding ecosystem processes, and developing policies and objectives for fire management. For these reasons, we conducted a literature review and spatial analysis of historical fire intervals in Texas, USA, a state with diverse fire environments and significant fire-related challenges. Limited literature describing historical fire regimes exists and few studies have quantitatively assessed the historical frequency of wildland fire. Written accounts provided anecdotal fire information that is spatially and temporally constrained. Three spatial datasets depicting historic mean fire intervals (MFIs) showed agreement in that the majority of Texas consisted of frequent fire regimes (MFIs = 1 yr to 12 yr), and that a gradient of decreasing fire return intervals existed from west to east. Much potential likely exists for acquiring fire history data in the Piney Woods region, the Oak Woods and Prairies region, and the mountain ranges of the Trans Pecos region. These data will be valuable for improving fire regime characterization to guide fire planning and budget processes, for the restoration and maintenance of fire-adapted landscapes, and for informing fire prevention and education activities.
Highlights
Characteristics of historical fire regimes underlie a multitude of present day societal and natural resource challenges (Wildland Fire Leadership Council 2014)
Since Euro-American settlement (EAS), historical fire regimes throughout North America have been highly altered to lengthened fire intervals and changed seasonality of occurrence (Stewart 2002, Keane et al 2007, Knapp et al 2009), making them difficult to quantitatively define, through analysis of modern data
While no quantitative studies of fire history were found for the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forest subregion of eastern Texas, many studies from the southeastern US suggest a frequent fire regime (Platt et al 1991)
Summary
Characteristics of historical fire regimes underlie a multitude of present day societal and natural resource challenges (Wildland Fire Leadership Council 2014). Historical fire regime data aid in assessing fire risk (Hardy 2005), identifying climate change impacts (Westerling et al 2006, Guyette et al 2014), understanding ecosystem processes (Bond and Keeley 2005), and developing policies and priorities for fire and land management (Wildland Fire Leadership Council 2014). Since Euro-American settlement (EAS), historical fire regimes throughout North America have been highly altered to lengthened fire intervals and changed seasonality of occurrence (Stewart 2002, Keane et al 2007, Knapp et al 2009), making them difficult to quantitatively define, through analysis of modern data. Even though fire is generally regarded as a historically important disturbance in most
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