Shaded fuel breaks boost wildfire resilience in the Sierra Nevada, CA, USA

Description

The ability of fuel reduction treatments to create fire-resilient forest structures with reduced stand densities, larger-diameter trees, and decreased surface and ladder fuel loads is well-documented in California. However, the longevity of treatment effects, as well as treatment interactions with wildfires, have been more difficult to characterize due to the sparse availability of long-term datasets with detailed treatment records. This paper leverages a 20-year old plot network in the Plumas National Forest to track pre-treatment stand conditions, conditions one year after initial thinning treatments, and conditions following varying exposure to low to moderate severity wildfire. These data provide insight into the longevity of treatment-driven changes to forest structure and the interaction between fuel treatments and wildfire in shaping long-term forest structural trajectories.