The national fire and fire surrogate study: Ecological consequences of alternative fuel reduction methods in seasonally dry forests

Ecological consequences of alternative fuel reduction methods in seasonally dry forests are analyzed. Fuel reduction treatments influence stand and landscape fuel bed dynamics. It is found that at the stand level, mechanical treatments followed by prescribed fire are most effective in reducing both surface fire and crown fire behavior. Landscape-level simulations suggest that treatment type, amount, and arrangement have significant impacts on fire spread and fire intensity. The results show that treatments placed strategically across the landscape in these forests can provide similar reductions in high-intensity fire behavior with substantially less treated area than randomly placed treatments. It is concluded that treatments, which reduce clutter, particularly thinning, increase the suitability of pine stands for bats' foraging and commuting activity in the Piedmont region.