Dry forests of the Northeastern Cascades Fire and Fire Surrogate project site, Mission Creek, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Abstract

The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation's forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the National Forests and National Grasslands, it strives-as directed by Congress-to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.

Surface fuel treatments in young, regenerating stands affect wildfire severity in a mixed conifer forest, eastside Cascade Range, Washington, USA

“…Fuel treatments designed to mitigate fire spread and severity can include a combination of tree harvest and prescribed fire or other means of surface fuel removal. Specifically, effective fuel treatments can (1) reduce the surface spread of fire by removing fine fuels (Agee and Lehmkuhl, 2009), (2) reduce ladder fuels and inhibit vertical spread of fire by thinning from below or whole tree harvesting (Agee and Skinner, 2005;Raymond and Peterson, 2005;Stephens and Moghaddas, 2005), and (3) reduce canopy bulk density and raise canopy height Johnson et al, 2006). In young stands, site preparation conducted upon stand establishment can have long-lasting effects on fuel characteristics and fire severity.…”