To Help Dry Forests, Fire Needs to be Just the Right Intensity, and Happen More Than Once
In a new study published in PLOS One, researchers from Oregon State University have found that wildfires need to fall within a narrow range of severity to improve the health of dry forests east of the Cascade Range in Oregon. The study indicates that the fire must be neither too hot nor too cold, or it will be ineffective at helping forests return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions. This research has important implications for land managers tasked with reducing fire hazard in these types of ecosystems. The researchers found that managed wildfires and post-fire efforts such as thinning and planting are likely to be most effective at achieving restoration goals within this severity range.