Pittville Fuel Treatment and the
Peterson Complex
Kyle Merriam
Province Ecologist
Plumas, Modoc, and Lassen National Forests
Fire Weather
80
9000
70
8000
7000
60
6000
50
Average Temp. (F)
5000
40
4000
Average Windspeed (mph)
Min RH (%)
Total Fire Size (acres)
30
3000
20
2000
10
1000
0
0
6/22/2008
6/23/2008
6/24/2008
6/25/2008
Date
6/26/2008
6/27/2008
Fire Size and Growth
9000
250
8000
7000
200
6000
150
5000
4000
100
3000
2000
1000
50
6/
27
/2
00
8
6/
26
/2
00
8
6/
25
/2
00
8
6/
24
/2
00
8
0
6/
23
/2
00
8
6/
22
/2
00
8
0
Fire Size (acres)
Relative Growth (%)
Was Fire Severity Influenced by
the Pittville DFPZ?
• Remote sensing data from satellite
imagery
• Field data collection
Fire Severity Across Entire
Peterson Complex
High
31%
Unchanged
25%
Unchanged
Low
Moderate
High
Moderate
21%
Low
23%
Pittville DFPZ vs. Untreated
Treated
Untreated
High
4%
Low
24%
Unchanged
67%
Moderate
5%
Unchanged
19%
High
35%
Moderate
23%
Low
23%
Severity by Treatment
700
600
Acres
500
400
Thin and Underburn
Thin Only
300
200
100
0
High
Moderate
Severity
Low
Unchanged
Field Data
• Tree species, diameter at breast
height, and tree height;
• Overstory canopy closure;
• Tree mortality;
• Scorch height and bole char height;
• Percent crown volume scorch; and
• A categorical rating of burn severity.
Severity Measures
0.9
0.8
0.7
Percent
0.6
0.5
Treated
0.4
Untreated
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Scorch
Char
Crown
Scorch
Variable
Mortality
Catagorical Severity Rating
4
3.5
Rating
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Treated
Untreated
Severity by Treatment Type
0.9
0.8
0.7
Percent
0.6
Thin Only
0.5
Thin and Burn
0.4
Untreated
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Scorch
Char
Crown
Scorch
Variable
Mortality
Catagorical Severity Rating
4.5
4
3.5
Rating
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Thin Only
Thin and Burn
Untreated
Distance from the DFPZ
Pittville
DFPZ
Untreated
Factors Influencing Mortality
•
•
•
•
•
Distance from the DFPZ
Slope
Aspect
Burn Day
Vegetation Type
Mortality with Distance and Slope
12
10
Mortality
8
0-5%
6-10%
6
11-20%
>20%
4
2
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Distance from DFPZ
350
400
450
500
Mortality with Distance and Burn Day
20
18
16
Mortality
14
12
23-Jun
10
24-Jun
8
6
4
2
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Distance from DFPZ
350
400
450
500
Animal Sign
0.45
0.4
0.35
% of Plots
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
Treated
Untreated
Vegetation
2.5
Cover Class
2
1.5
Treated
Untreated
1
0.5
0
Grass
Herbs
Vegetation Type
Live shrubs
Conclusions
• Fire behavior modified within the Pittville DFPZ
so that limited FS resources could concentrate
elsewhere.
• Fire severity within the Pittville DFPZ was lower
than in adjacent untreated areas.
 Thinning and underburning treatments had lower
fire severity than thinning only treatments.
Conclusions, cont.
 Trees further inside the DFPZ had higher
survival rates.
 Slope, aspect, and burn day also
important, but not vegetation type.
 Other potentially important factors such as
pre-fire fuel loads could not be measured.
Conclusions, cont.
 Animal sign was statistically similar within
the Pittville DFPZ compared with the
adjacent untreated area.
 Without the Pittville DFPZ the Peterson
Complex might have been at least 1,000
acres larger.
More information
Miller, J. D., H. D. Safford, M. Crimmins, and A. E. Thode. 2009.
Quantitative Evidence for Increasing Forest Fire Severity in the
Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascade Mountains, California and
Nevada, USA. Ecosystems 12: 16-32.
Miller, J.D. and H.D Safford. 2008. Sierra Nevada Fire Severity
Monitoring 1984-2004. USDA Technical Report R5-TP-027. 102 pp.
USDI National Park Service. 2003. Fire monitoring handbook. Boise
(ID): Fire Management Program Center, National Interagency Fire
Center. 274 pp.
Acknowledgements
• Field Assistants: Ingrid Burke, Tony Blair,
Justin Tanner, and Ethan Morton.
• Kit Mullen, District Ranger, Debbie Mayer,
Fire Management Officer, and Engine 31,
Hat Creek Ranger District, Lassen
National Forest.