Every major fire year coincided with summer or summer-to-fall drought
Evidence
In comparing what is known of the climatic circumstances that accompanied past major fire years with the detailed records for 1936 and 1971, one fact stands out. The major fire years for which climatic data are available were all characterized by summer droughts, or droughts that extended from summer into fall. This was the case for 1863, 1864, 1875, 1894, and 1910. These years had drought patterns similar to 1936, not 1971. Severe spring droughts also occurred, notably in 1863, 1864, and 1910. Possibly the major atmospheric circulation patterns and other climatic variables associated with these subcontinental droughts were all similar. — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 238
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Natural fire rotation in the BWCA was about 100 years — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 2; Five fire years created nearly three-quarters of today’s forest stands. — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 175; The entire BWCA ecosystem was fire-dependent — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 1
Related
- Five fire years created nearly three-quarters of today’s forest stands. (similarity 0.84)
- Natural fire rotation in the BWCA was about 100 years (similarity 0.81)
- Virtually every BWCA virgin forest stand burned since 1595. (similarity 0.79)
- The BWCA still has a roughly 60-year window before fire exclusion makes restoration impossible. (similarity 0.79)