Patterns in lightning-caused fires at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Cohen D, Dellinger B, Klein R, Buchanan B. 2007. Patterns in lightning-caused fires at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fire Ecology. 3(2; Special Issue):68-82
Fires that burn unimpeded behave differently than suppressed or prescribed (management-ignited) fires. Studying fires behavior increases our understanding of historic fire regimes. Wildland fire use policy allows for managing lightning-caused fires for resource benefit without suppressing them provied specific pre-defined conditions are met. Great Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park has managed ten fires under this policy from 1998 to 2006. Data from these fires and data from park reports for suppressed lightning-caused fires since 1940 were examined to illustrate patterns for non-athropogenic fires. The authors contrast data from ten managed fires in Great Smoky Mountains National Park between 1998 and 2006 with lightning-caused fires since 1940 to illustrate patterns for non-anthropogenic fires.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Cohen, Dana; Dellinger, Bob; Klein, Rob; Buchanan, Beth
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, FIRE, Fire Duration, fire regimes, Fire Suppression, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, ignition source, Lightning, SER, Southeast Region, Southern Appalachians, Unaka range, wildland fire use