By Stephen C. Bunting and Jeff Rose | This fact sheet helps define wildland fuels and review the approaches used to assess fuel loads in the Great Basin.
Great Basin Fact Sheet No. 9: Assessing Fuel Loads in Sagebrush Steppe and PJ Woodlands
By: Stephen C. Bunting and Jeff Rose
Summary:
This fact sheet helps define wildland fuels and review some of the approaches used to assess fuel loads in Great Basin ecosystems. Assessing wildland fuel loading is important for quantifying potential fire hazards, for monitoring the effectiveness of fuel treatments, and for predicting fire behavior, soil heating, fuel consumption, and emissions. The different methods developed to assess fuel loads in sagebrush steppe and juniper woodland vegetation vary in accuracy, and in time and effort required for sampling. Identifying areas of high and low fuel loading helps during the planning and implementation phases of a project.
In Brief:
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This fact sheet is part of the Great Basin Fact Sheet Series compiled collaboratively by WAFWA, USFS, BLM, NRCS, RMRS, ARS, USGS, and FWS. The series provides land managers with brief summaries of current science concepts and management strategies related to conservation and restoration of the sagebrush sea.