A framework for reconstructing pre-Euroamerican fire regimes in California

California’s fire regimes are shifting at an accelerating pace, driving ecosystem degradation and increasing risks to human communities. Effective, science-based responses require a strong foundation of evidence. As the use of fire as a management tool expands, it is critical to demonstrate its ecological benefits while carefully considering trade-offs such as smoke emissions. A key step in addressing this challenge is establishing the baseline conditions that existed before Euroamerican settlement (pre-1850). In this lecture, I will present a methodological framework for updating historical fire regime models and mapping in California, drawing on traditional ecological knowledge of fire use, historical maps, and scientific publications. This approach illustrates how archaeological evidence can be analytically integrated into large-scale, quantitative models, with significant implications for modern fire ecology. Reconstructing historical fire regimes also provides insight into long-term processes that profoundly influence current and future ecological dynamics.