Efficacy of mechanical fuel treatments for reducing wildfire hazard

Forest Policy and Economics

Volumn 10, Issue 6, 2008, Pages 408-414

  Huggett Jr , Robert J ^a   Abt, Karen L ^a   Shepperd, Wayne ^b  

^a USDA FOREST SERVICE   (United States)

^b ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION   (United States)

Author keywords

Fuel treatments; Risk; Stand Density Index; Wildfire

Indexed keywords

APPLIED (CO); FUEL TREATMENTS; LANDSCAPE SCALES; LONG TERM EFFECTS; RISK REDUCTION (RR); RISK REDUCTIONS (R/R); TREATMENT COSTS; UNEVEN AGED;

FIRES; FUELS; HAZARDS; REDUCTION; RISK ASSESSMENT; RISK PERCEPTION; RISKS;

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS;

EID: 45949104096     PISSN: 13899341     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2008.03.003     Document Type: Article

References (30)

1. Abt K.L., and Prestemon J.P. Timber markets and fuel treatments in the Western U.S. Natural Resource Modeling 19 (2006) 15-43
2. Agee, J.K., 1996. The influence of forest structure on fire behavior. In: Sherlock, J. chair. Proceedings of the 17th Annual Forest and Vegetation Management Conference. 1996 January 16-18, 52-68.
3. Agee, J.K., 2007. Keynote address: the role of silviculture in restoring fire-adapted ecosystems In: Powers, Robert F., tech. editor. Restoring fire-adapted ecosystems: proceedings of the 2005 National Silviculture Workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-203, Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: p. ix-xviii.
4. Agee J.K., and Skinner C.N. Basic principles of forest fuel reduction treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 211 (2005) 83-96
5. Albini, F.A., 1976. Estimating wildfire behavior and effects. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-30. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. p. 92.
6. Anderson, H.E., 1982. Aids to determining fuel models for estimating fire behavior. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-122. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. p. 22.
7. Finney M.A. FARSITE: Fire Area Simulator-Model Development and Evaluation. Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-4 (1998), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ogden, UT p. 47
8. Graham R.T., Harvey A.E., Jain T.B., and Tonn J.R. The effects of thinning and similar stand treatments on fire behavior in western forests. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-463 (1999), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR p. 27
9. Graham R.T., McCaffrey S., and Jain T.B. Science basis for changing forest structure to modify wildfire behavior and severity. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-120 (2004), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO p. 43
10. HFRA [Healthy Forest Restoration Act], 2003. HR 1904.
11. Johnson M.C., Peterson D.L., and Raymond C.L. Guide to fuel treatments in dry forests of the Western United States: assessing forest structure and fire hazard. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-686 (2007), USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR p. 322
12. Pollet J., and Omi P.N. Effect of thinning and prescribed burning on crown fire severity in ponderosa pine forests. International Journal of Wildland Fire 11 (2002) 1-10
13. Raymond C.L., and Peterson D.L. Fuel treatments alter the effects of wildfire in a mixed-evergreen forest, Oregon, USA. Canadian Journal of Forestry Resources 35 (2005) 2981-2995
14. Reineke L.H. Perfecting a stand-density index for even-aged forests. Journal of Agriculture Research 46 (1933) 627-638
15. Reinhardt E.D., Lutes D.C., and Scott J.H. FuelCalc: a method for estimating canopy fuel characteristics. Fuels Management-How to Measure Success: Conference Proceedings. 28-30 March 2006; Portland, OR. Proceedings RMRS-P-41 (2006), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO 273-282
16. Rothermel R.C. A mathematical model for predicting fire spread in wildland fuels. Res. Pap. INT-115 (1972), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT p. 40
17. Rothermel R.C. Predicting behavior and size of crown fires in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Res. Pap. INT-438 (1991), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT p. 46
18. Scott J.H. NEXUS: a system for assessing crown fire hazard. Fire Management Notes 59 (1999) 20-24
19. Scott J.H., and Reinhardt E.D. Assessing crown fire potential by linking models of surface and crown fire behavior. Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-29 (2001), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO p. 59
20. Shepperd W.D. SDI-Flex: a new technique of allocating growing stock for developing treatment prescriptions in uneven-aged forest stands. Restoring Fire-adapted Ecosystems: Proceedings of the 2005 National Silviculture Workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-203 (2007), Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 171-180
21. Skog K.E., Barbour R.J., Abt K.L., Bilek E.M., Burch F., Fight R.D., Huggett R.J., Miles P.D., Reinhardt E.D., and Shepperd W.D. Evaluation of silvicultural treatments and biomass use for reducing fire hazard in western states. Res. Pap. FPL-RP-634 (2006), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI p. 29
22. Stephens S.L. Evaluation of the effects of silvicultural and fuels treatments on potential fire behavior in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests. Forest Ecology and Management 105 (1998) 21-35
23. Stephens S.L., and Moghaddas J.J. Experimental fuel treatment impacts on forest structure, potential fire behavior, and predicted tree mortality in a California mixed conifer forest. Forest Ecology and Management 215 (2005) 21-36
24. Stratton R.D. Assessing the effectiveness of landscape fuel treatments on fire growth and behavior. Journal of Forestry (2004) 32-40 Oct/Nov
25. USFS [United States Forest Service]. A strategic assessment of forest biomass and fuel reduction treatments in western states (2003). http://www.fs.fed.us/research/infocenter.shtml Available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/research/infocenter.shtml
26. Van Wagner C.E. Conditions for the start and spread of crown fire. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 7 (1977) 23-34
27. van Wagtendonk J.W. Use of a deterministic fire growth model to test fuel treatments. Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, Final Report to Congress, Vol. II. Assessments and Scientific Basis for Management Options (1996), Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 1155-1166
28. WGA [Western Governor's Association]. Collaborative ten-year strategy for restoring health to fire-adapted ecosystems (2001). http://www.westgov.org/wga_reports.htm Available online at http://www.westgov.org/wga_reports.htm
29. WGA [Western Governor's Association]. A collaborative approach for reducing wildland fire risks to communities and the environment: 10-year comprehensive strategy implementation plan (2002). http://www.westgov.org/wga_reports.htm Available online at http://www.westgov.org/wga_reports.htm
30. Wilson J.S., and Baker P.J. Mitigating fire risk to late-successional forest reserves on the east slope of the Washington Cascade Range. Forest Ecology and Management 110 (1998) 59-75