Wildfires in the Northern Rockies

Whats Happening?
Historically Large Wildfires in the Northern Rockies

Fire years 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 are more

FREQUENT

Why?

Spring & Summer Temperatures

HIGHER

Spring Snow Melt

EARLIER

Dry Season

LONGER

INTENSE

and

What are Land Managers Doing?

SELECTIVE HARVESTING
forest more safe by makes the

What Can You Do?

CLEARING it of excess fuels.

BE INVOLVED in your community fire watch. UNDERSTAND fire prevention techniques.

PRESCRIBED BURNING
fuels, helping

reduces ladder

PROTECT from tree-top fires.

KNOW your land managers. BE AWARE of fire prevention legislation.

LIVESTOCK GRAZING
fuels and
References

reduces low-lying

LIMITS the spread of wildfires.

Westerling, A. L. "Warming and Earlier Spring Increase Western U.S. Forest Wildfire Activity." Science Magazine. 313. (2006): 940-943. Print. Westerling, A. L. "Continued warming could transform Greater Yellowstone fire regimes by mid-21st century." PNAS. 108.32 (2011): 13165-13170. Print. Hudak, Andrew T. "Review of Fuel Treatment Effectiveness in Forests and Rangelands and a Case Study From the 2007 Megafires in Central Idaho USA." Rocky Mountain Research Station. (2011): 1-64. Print. http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_stats_histSigFires.html

Wildfires in the Northern Rockies

Whats Happening?
Historically Large Wildfires in the Northern Rockies

Fire years 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 are more

FREQUENT SEVERE
and

Why?

Spring & Summer Temperatures

HIGHER

Spring Snow Melt

EARLIER

Dry Season

LONGER

What are Land Managers Doing?

SELECTIVE HARVESTING
forests becoming combats

What Can You Do?

OVERLOADED with wildfire fuel.

BE INVOLVED in your community fire watch. UNDERSTAND fire prevention techniques. KNOW your land managers. BE AWARE of fire prevention legislation.

PRESCRIBED BURNING reduces ladder

fuels, which reduces the

DANGERS of tree-top fires.

LIVESTOCK GRAZING
References

is used to eliminate

low-lying fuels and keep wildfires from

SPREADING.

Westerling, A. L. "Warming and Earlier Spring Increase Western U.S. Forest Wildfire Activity." Science Magazine. 313. (2006): 940-943. Print. Westerling, A. L. "Continued warming could transform Greater Yellowstone fire regimes by mid-21st century." PNAS. 108.32 (2011): 13165-13170. Print. Hudak, Andrew T. "Review of Fuel Treatment Effectiveness in Forests and Rangelands and a Case Study From the 2007 Megafires in Central Idaho USA." Rocky Mountain Research Station. (2011): 1-64. Print. http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_stats_histSigFires.html