Pacific Southwest Research Station

Potential nutrient emissions from prescribed fire in the Lake Tahoe basin

This study assesses the potential impacts of fuel reductions through prescribed fire on water and air quality in the basin as a function of fuel condition. This information can be used by forest managers to optimize burn practices by balancing environmental impacts with management objectives.

Final Report [pdf]

Lead Researchers:    Paul S.J. Verburg, Richard B. Susfalk, and Lung-Wen Antony Chen, Desert Research Institute

Goals

1. Assess potential impacts of prescribed fire on nutrient loads to air and water.
2. Assess fuel loads in the basin.

Sites:    Field inventory of fuels in 100- by 100-m gridded plots in five prescribed burns

Products

1. Chen, L.-W. A.; Verburg, P.; Shackelford, A.; Zhu1, D.; Susfalk, R. J.; C. Chow,Watson, J. G. 2010. Moisture effects on carbon and nitrogen emission from burning of wildland biomass. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 10, 1–9