PUBLICATIONS
Newest Publications
Abstract
 Quantifying the Effect of Fuel Reduction Treatments on Fire Behavior in Boreal Forests
FERA's Roger Ottmar and Bob Vihnanek were among the group of collaborators who directly measured fire intensity and energy release in each of four fuel treatments. The effectiveness of each treatment in changing fire behavior is presented here.
Effects of Climatic Variability and Change on Forest Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Science Synthesis for the U.S. Forest Sector
This report is a scientific assessment of the current condition and likely future condition of forest resources in the United States relative to climatic variability and change. FERA's Dave Peterson was one of three editors of this national synthesis effort.
The North Cascadia Adaptation Partnership: A Science-Management Collaboration for Responding to Climate Change
Federal land managers in the North Cascades have worked together to take a broad look at the potential effects of climate change, and ways that they could collaboratively respond. Led by authors Raymond, Peterson, and Rochefort, this proven process is described in the journal Sustainability.
Fuel Treatment Effects on Tree Mortality Following Wildfire in Dry Mixed Conifer Forests, Washington State, USA
The International Journal of Wildland Fire recently published an evaluation of the effectiveness of prefire fuel treatments three years after the Tripod Complex fires in northern Washington State. University of Washington collaborators Prichard and Kennedy provides further evidence supporting the effectiveness of thinning and prescribed burning on mitigating postfire tree mortality
Numerical Study of the Interaction Between a Head Fire and a Backfire Propogating in Grassland
FERA's Ruddy Mell, along with two French colleagues, conducted a numerical simulation of the interaction of two fires, a head fire and back fire, that propogated in opposite directions parallel to the wind. During the last step of the merging of these two fire fronts, a sudden increase of the heat release rate was observed, which can potentially represent a safety problem for peopel in charge of this kind of operation. The journal Fire Safety Science published this as part a proceedings.
Radionuclide Activity Concentrations in Forest Fuels at the Savannah River Site
A study was undertaken at the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site to investigate radionuclide activity concentrations in litter and duff. Litter and duff can often be the major fuels consumed during prescribed burns and have potential to release radiological contaminants into the environment.Samples from 97 locations were collected and analyzed for radionuclide activity. FERA's Roger Ottmar was one of the authors.
Adaptation: Planning for Climate Change and Its Effects on Federal Lands
This 6-page science briefing distills key studies on pathways that federal land managers might consider as they adapt forest management planning and practices to take into account climate change. FERA's Dave Peterson coauthored this with Dr. Michael Furniss of the PNW Station.
Framework for Determining Fire and Ember Exposure Zones Using a WUI Hazard Scale
Wildfires are growing more and more prevalent as housing developments push into wilderness areas. Now, thanks to the efforts of two federal agencies, a proactive solution to the tremendous losses from wildfires may be at hand.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and FERA's Ruddy Mell have teamed to create the first-ever system for linking accurate assessments of risk from wildland fires to improved building codes, standards and practices that will help communities better resist the threat.
Surface Fuel Treatments in Young, Regenerating Stands Affect Wildfire Severity in a Mixed Conifer Forest, Eastern Cascade Range, Washington, USA
Evaluations of fuel treatment effects in regenerating plantation mixed-conifer forests in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest were conducted after the 2006 Tripod Complex Fires. Overall, results suggest that young stands in some dry mixed conifer forests can be resilient to wildifire if surface fuel loading is low upon stand establishment. Read more about the topic in the journal Forest Ecology and Managment. Authors are the University of Washington's Christina Lyons-Tinsley and FERA's David L. Peterson.
Fuel Variability Following Wildfire in Forests with Mixed Severity Fire Regimes, Cascade Range, USA
Measurements of post-burn fuel variability are critical for understanding the ecological significance of mixed severity fires, and help in developing restoration strategies that emulate characteristics of historical fire regimes. Results of this post-fire research conducted on the eastern slopes of Washington's Cascade Range indicate that fire severity influences immediate post-burn canopy fuels and potential fire behavior but does not influence dead and down surface fuel loading for the three fires studied. FERA's Dave Peterson joined the University of Washington's Jessica Hudec in writing this paper for the journal Forest Ecology and Management.
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