Lightning and Fire Occurrence in Two, Large Rocky Mountain Wilderness Complexes

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Matthew Rollins, Landscape Fire Ecologist, LANDFIRE Technical Leader

INTRODUCTION

Although detailed fire and lightning occurrence data have been compiled for federal lands in the United States in recent decades, little research has been conducted evaluating spatial and/or temporal associations that might be revealed by direct comparisons and spatial analyses of these data. Fire management has not taken full advantage of existing spatial databases for empirically evaluating relationships between lightning, vegetation and topography; the characteristics of lightning strikes that actually ignite wildfires; and the variability of lightning activity within and between years. Empirical research relating lightning distribution and characteristics to wildland fire ignition and landscape variables over broad scales increases understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of ignition probabilities. This information is particularly useful for 1) evaluating the effects of changing fire regimes, 2) parameterizing spatially explicit landscape-fire models, 3) for evaluating the risks and benefits of wildland fire, and 4) for strategically and tactically planning for wildland fire use, mechanical fuels treatments, and fire suppression.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Increase understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of ignition probabilities. This information is particularly useful for 1) evaluating the effects of changing fire regimes, 2) parameterizing spatially explicit landscape-fire models, 3) for evaluating the risks and benefits of wildland fire, and 4) for strategically and tactically planning for wildland fire use, mechanical fuels treatments, and fire suppression.

METHODOLOGY AND KEY RESULTS

Used a decade of NLDN lightning location data and NIFMID fire location data to analyze relationships between fire and lightning occurrence in the 317,000-ha Gila/Aldo Leopold Wilderness Complex (GALWC) in New Mexico and the 547,000 ha Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Complex (SBWC) in Idaho/Montana. Specific results and products included 1) summary descriptions of fire and lightning occurrence, 2) evaluation of the timing of lightning and fire occurrence, 3) development of ignition and lightning occurrence probability surfaces, 4) overlay analyses evaluating fire and lightning occurrence over a variety of landscape variables, and 5) comparison of fire rotation estimates based on separate databases describing recent fire history.

REFERENCES

Final Report

PROJECT STATUS

Successfully completed in spring 2001

FUNDING ORGANIZATION

Joint Fire Science Program