Cited by 629Fire effects on ecosystemsTree-ring climate responsesForest Management and Policy

Long-term perspective on wildfires in the western USA

Open access
Marlon, Jennifer R., Bartlein, Patrick J., Gavin, Daniel G., Long, Colin J., Anderson, R. Scott, Briles, Christy E., Brown, Kendrick J., Colombaroli, Daniele +4 more·2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Understanding the causes and consequences of wildfires in forests of the western United States requires integrated information about fire, climate changes, and human activity on multiple temporal scales. We use sedimentary charcoal accumulation rates to construct long-term variations in fire during the past 3,000 y in the American West and compare this record to independent fire-history data from historical records and fire scars. There has been a slight decline in burning over the past 3,000 y, with the lowest levels attained during the 20th century and during the Little Ice Age (LIA, ca. 1400–1700 CE [Common Era]). Prominent peaks in forest fires occurred during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (ca. 950–1250 CE) and during the 1800s. Analysis of climate reconstructions beginning from 500 CE and population data show that temperature and drought predict changes in biomass burning up to the late 1800s CE. Since the late 1800s , human activities and the ecological effects of recent high fire activity caused a large, abrupt decline in burning similar to the LIA fire decline. Consequently, there is now a forest “fire deficit” in the western United States attributable to the combined effects of human activities, ecological, and climate changes. Large fires in the late 20th and 21st century fires have begun to address the fire deficit, but it is continuing to grow.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.1112839109

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83 of 83 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Marlon, J. R., Bartlein, P. J., Gavin, D. G., Long, C. J., Anderson, R. S., Briles, C. E., Brown, K. J., Colombaroli, D., Hallett, D. J., Power, M. J., Scharf, E. A., & Walsh, M. K.
Affiliations
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
  • University of Oregon (US)
  • University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (US)
  • Northern Arizona University (US)
  • Monash University (AU)
  • Canadian Forest Service (CA)
  • Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research and Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013 Bern, Switzerland;
  • University of Calgary (CA)
  • University of Utah (US)
  • University of North Dakota (US)
  • Central Washington University (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2012-02-14
Volume
109
Issue
9
Pages
E535-43
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2059904261
Cited by
629
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 71 · 2022: 57 · 2021: 61 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 39 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 7
FWCI
27.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ScholarWorks (Central Washington University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • BORIS (University Library Bern) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Tree-ring climate responses
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Forest Management and Policy
Keywords
wildfire history, sedimentary charcoal, Little Ice Age, Medieval Warm Period, climate change and fire, drought, human impact on fire, fire scars, historical fire records, western United States forests, paleoclimate
MeSH terms
Charcoal, Fires, Humans, Human Activities, Temperature, Trees, Southwestern United States, Biomass, Geologic Sediments, History, 15th Century, History, 16th Century, History, 17th Century, History, 18th Century, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, History, Ancient, History, Medieval, Droughts, Climate Change

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