Local fire return intervals depend on spread from neighbors, not direct ignition

Evidence

Since the probability of any particular location being ignited directly (e.g., struck by lightning) is low, the fire return interval at a particular location depends more on the likelihood of fire spreading from adjacent areas (Heinselmann, 1981b). Such factors as fuel continuity, topography, and flammability of adjacent ecosystems will obviously affect this probability. — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 606

Categorization

• XREF: Directly parallels how patch dynamics and gap expansion work — a location’s disturbance history is set by contagion from adjacent patches, echoing the book’s broader patch-mosaic logic.