Proceedings of the FIRE HISTORYIISTORY WORKSHOP October 20-24, 1980 Tucson, Arizona General Technical Report RM.81 Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Dedication The attendees of The Fire History Workshop wish to dedicate these proceedings to Mr. Harold Weaver in recognition of his early work in applying the science of dendrochronology in the determination of forest fire histories; for his pioneering leadership in the use of prescribed fire in ponderosa pine management; and for his continued interest in the effects of fire on various ecosystems. Stokes, Marvin A., and John H. Dieterich, tech. coord. 1980. Proceedings of the fire history workshop. October 20-24, 1980, Tucson, Arizona. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-81, 142 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Cob. The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on sampling procedures, research methodologies, preparation and interpretation of specimen material, terminology, and the appli- cation and significance of findings, emphasizing the relationship of dendrochronology procedures to fire history interpretations. Proceedings of the FIRE HISTORY WORKSHOP October 20.24, 1980 Tucson, Arizona Marvin A. Stokes and John H. Dieterich Technical Coordinators Sponsored By: Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Laboratory of Tree.Ring Research University of Arizona General Technical Report RM-81 Forest Service Rocky Mountain Forest and Range U.S. Department of Agriculture Experiment Station Fort Collins, Colorado Foreword the Fire has played a role in shaping many of the the process of identifying and describing plant communities found in the world today. Just incidence of historical fires, the established material how important this role has been can only be de- guidelines and procedures for analyzing the ad- termined after we know more about the frequency, and expressing the results should be carefully extent, and intensity of these historical fires. hered to Personnel at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring those The Fire History Workshop, first of its kind held Research willingly provided this assistance and from this anywhere in the world, held as its primary objec- attending the workshop benefited directly tive the exchange of information on techniques store of knowledge and experience. and methodologies for determining fire histories be based on tree-ring evidence. In addition, the There was a consensus that a similar forum to re- workshop provided a forum for reporting on current, held in the future to provide an opportunity or recently completed fire history studies;made port on completed studies and propose newwork relat- Our work- facilities and expertise available through the ing to dendrochronolog-y and fire history. Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research for inspecting shop provided only limited opportunity forreporting fire-scarred specimens and answering specific on fire effects and plantsuccession and on paleo- questions concerning dating and interpretation ecological studies. We anticipate that this will of the fire-scarred material; and helped resolve not change much in the immediatefuture because of problems in terminologies which so frequently the need to continue to resolve problems inutiliz- accompany developing sciences. ing dendrochronological techniques in determining fire histories; and the fact that ample opportunities The study of fire scars as reflected in the will be available through other outlets to report radial growth patterns of both softwoods and hard- on immediate and long-term effectsof single and wood tree species provides an important means of multiple burns.Additional subjects that might be securing information on the precise years in covered in a future workshop include the mechanics which fires occurred during centuries past. The of fire-scarring and physiology of the recovery fire-scarred material collected and studied re- process, statistical sampling problemsrelated to presents a form of "natural resource artifact"-- fire history studies, and application of fire his- much as the pot-sherd or spear point represent tory studies in management situations. cultural artifacts of past civilization. These natural resource artifacts are disappearing and Workshop proceedings are notoriously late in one day will be totally absent from forested areas reaching the hands of workshop attendees and ultimate due to the influence of logging, fire, natural users of the information. To speed up publication mortality and deterioration. Even the material of these proceedings Robert Hamre, Editor, Rocky holding historical fire evidence currently being Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, con- protected In National Parks, Natural Areas, and tacted each author asking them to assume full re- other reserves will eventually be returned to sponsibility for submitting manuscripts in camera- Bob the soil through natural processes. For this ready format by the time the workshop convened. reason, it seems imperative that those collecting was largely successful in this effort and we appre- fire-scarred material for study insure that re- ciate his efforts in getting the proceedings process- presentative specimens are properly described, ed and published. cataloged, preserved, and protected so that they will be available for future studies if needed. Many individuals assisted in making the workshop a success. Dr. Bryant Bannister, Director, and Since the early 1970's there has been a re- members of his staff at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring newed interest in the use of tree. rings and fire Research were most cooperative in providing support scars as a means of describing historical fires. for the workshop. Mama Thompson, Terry Mazany, and Both living and dead material have been represent- Tom Harlanhandled many of the arrangement and ed. This renewed interest has been generated in organizing details for the workshop. part by the general recognition that fire effects are not always destructive, and that in fact there Special thanks to Phyllis West, Rocky Mountain are many beneficial aspects of fire when it burns Forest and Range Experiment Station, Tempe,AZ. for under prescribed conditions of fuel, weather, and her clerical and manuscript assistance duringthe topography. The increased awareness of the need workshop, and to John McKelvy, Fire Management to return fire to its natural role in various eco- Officer, Santa Catalina District, CoronadoNational systems has also prompted this renewed interest Forest for his efforts in hosting the fieldtrip to for without knowing what the natural fire cycles Mount Lemmon. have been in the past, it will be impossible to realistically reintroduce fire into these same eco- systems. The Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research played an extremely important role in this workshop. If the science of dendrochronology is to be used in Marvin Stokes J. H. Dieterich Contents Page Foreword i The Dendrochronology of Fire History M.A. StoIes Fire History of a Mixed Conifer Forest In Guadalupe Mountains National Park Ga/ty M. AhLo.t'Land 4 The Composite Fire Interval -- A Tool for More Accurate Interpretation of Fire History J.H. VLeteiLch 8 Sonoran Desert Fire Ecology Gcvvty F. Roge.itand JeSteL 15 Some Questions about Fire Ecology in Southwestern Canyon Woodlands WA2Lam H. MoL't 20 Fire History of Western Redcedar/Hemlock Forests In Northern Idaho Ste.phe.n F. M.no and Van II. Vavi. 21 Fire Frequency in Subalpine Forests of Yellowstone National Park WAjLqam H. Rormie. 27 Interpreting Fire History in Jasper National Park, Alberta Geiwld F. Tande. 31 Indian Fires In the Pre-Settlement Forests of Western Montana S.tepheji (U.Ba4'r.e.tt 35 Fire History of Kananaskis Provincial Park -- Mean Fire Return Intervals &rad C. HawleA 42 Interpretation of Fire Scar Data from a Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem in the Central Rocky Mountains, Colorado R.V. Laven, P.W. Orn, J.G. Wya.vt, and A.S. Pi..nkexton 46 Fire History of Two Montane Forest Areas of Zion National Park MzihzeL H. Madany and WeU E. We.t 50 The Use of Land Survey Records In Estimating Presettlement Fire Frequency CMLg G. Lo'rijneA 57 Fire History and Man-Induced Fire Problems in Subtropical South Florida Va2e L. Tayo 63 Fire History of a Western Larch/Douglas-Fir Forest Type in Northwestern Montana KahLee.n M. Va.VJ 69 Fire History -- Blue Mountains, Oregon FnedeLcJz C. HaLt 75 Fire History, Junipero Sierra Peak, Central Coastal California JameR. GiuLn and Steveii W. TaUe.y 82 Land Use and Fire History in the Mountains of Southern California Joe R. Mc8de and VLana F. Jac.ob4 85 Fire History in the Yellow Pine Forest of Kings Canyon National Park Thoma4 E. Waxne. 89 The Influence of Fire in Coast Redwood Forests S.tephen V. VLeJt4, J. 93 Forest Fire History Research in Ontario: A Problem Analysis Mai.tn E. Mxande& 96 Fire Recurrence and Vegetation in the Lichen Woodlands ofthe Northwest Territories, Canada E.A. John4oi 110 Hunter-Gatherers and Problems for Fire History HeivLy T. Lw6 115 Forest Fire History: Ecological Significance and Dating Problems in the North Swedish Boreal Forest 120 Olie. Zac1zA44on A Paleocliinatic Tool Fire History at the Treeline In Northern Quebec: 126 SeA9e Pa.ye..tte. A Supplement Bibliography on Fire History: 132 Ma.kLLn E. A&xandeA. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee Fire History Terminology: 135 WLWam Rorzine Who Cares about Fire History? Workshop Summary: 138 Robet W. Mwtc.h 141 Workshop Participants The Dendrochronology of Fire History1 H. A. STOKES2 Abstract.--Dendrochronology, the study of annual rings in woody plants, has developed into a useful tool for a number of different fields of study. Based on the inter- action of trees and the climate, it is possible to use tree- rings as proxy data in reconstruction of past climates and river runoff. It has been a dating tool of archeologists. The value of dendrochronology in fire history research has the potential of providing important data over and beyond the dating of fire scars.