The CFSC Blaze: Unpacking the HOTTEST Papers of the Year!

As our team reflects on the year, we are pleased to present a curated selection of ten papers that provide a snapshot of noteworthy fire science advancements in the California region.



Techniques for restoring damaged Mojave and western Sonoran habitats, including those for threatened desert tortoises and Joshua trees

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Abella, Scott R., Kristin H. Berry, and Stefanie Ferrazzano. 2023. Techniques for restoring damaged Mojave and western Sonoran habitats, including those for threatened desert tortoises and Joshua trees. Desert Plants 38: 4-52.


Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration

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Abella, Scott R., Lindsay P. Chiquoine, Mary A. Balogh, Adam J. Taylor, and Seth M. Munson. 2023. Do nurse plant effects strengthen over time? Results from 12 years of desert habitat restoration. Plant Ecology 224: 299-314.


The century-long shadow of fire exclusion: Historical data reveal early and lasting effects of fire regime change on contemporary forest composition

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Brodie, Emily G., Eric E. Knapp, Andrew M. Latimer, Hugh D. Safford, Marissa Vossmer, and Sarah M. Bisbing. 2023. The Century-long Shadow of Fire Exclusion: Historical Data Reveal Early and Lasting Effects of Fire Regime Change on Contemporary Forest Composition. Forest Ecology and Management 539: 121011.


A decade-long study of repeated prescription burning in California native grassland restoration

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Keeley, Jon E., Robert C. Klinger, Teresa J. Brennan, Dawn M. Lawson, John La Grange, and  Kathryn N. Berg. 2023. A Decade‐long Study of Repeated Prescription Burning in California Native Grassland Restoration. Restoration ecology 31, no. 7: e13939.


Using culturally significant birds to guide the timing of prescribed fires in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion

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Long, Linda L., Frank L. Lake, Jaime L. Stephens, John D. Alexander, C. J. Ralph, and Jared D. Wolfe. 2023. Using Culturally Significant Birds to Guide the Timing of Prescribed Fires in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion. Ecosphere 14(6): e4541.


Drivers of California’s changing wildfires: a state-of-the-knowledge synthesis

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MacDonald, Glen, Tamara Wall, Carolyn A. F. Enquist, Sarah R. LeRoy, John B. Bradford, David D. Breshears, Timothy Brown, Daniel Cayan, Chunyu Dong, Donald A. Falk, Erica Fleishman,  Alexander Gershunov, Molly Hunter, Rachel A. Loehman, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Beth Rose Middleton, Hugh D. Safford, Mark W. Schwartz, and Valerie Trouet. 2023. Drivers of California’s changing wildfires: a state-of-the-knowledge synthesis. International Journal of Wildland Fire 32, 1039-1058.


Evolutionary fire ecology: An historical account and future directions

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Pausas, Juli G., and Jon E. Keeley. 2023. Evolutionary fire ecology: An historical account and future directions. BioScience 73, no.8 (August): 602–608. 


Degradation and Restoration of Indigenous California Black Oak (Quercus Kelloggii) Stands in the Northern Sierra Nevada

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Stephens, Scott L., Les Hall, Connor W. Stephens, Alexis A. Bernal, and Brandon M. Collins. 2023. Degradation and Restoration of Indigenous California Black Oak (Quercus Kelloggii) Stands in the Northern Sierra Nevada. Fire Ecology 19: 12. 


Forest restoration and fuels reduction work: Different pathways for achieving success in the Sierra Nevada

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Stephens, Scott L., Daniel E. Foster, John J. Battles, Alexis A. Bernal, Brandon M. Collins, Rachelle Hedges, Jason J. Moghaddas, Ariel T. Roughton, and Robert A. York. 2023 Forest Restoration and Fuels Reduction Work: Different Pathways for Achieving Success in the Sierra Nevada. Ecological Applications, e2932.


Overcoming obstacles to prescribed fire in the North American Mediterranean climate zone

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Williams, John N, Lenya Quinn-Davidson, Hugh D. Safford, Ashley Grupenhoff, Beth Rose Middleton, Joe Restaino, Edward Smith, Chris Adlam, and Hiram Rivera-Huerta. 2023. Overcoming obstacles to prescribed fire in the North American Mediterranean climate zone.  Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1540-9295.