California prescribed fire monitoring program: 2019–2024
Data files
Nov 27, 2025 version files 8.37 MB
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bu_treatment.csv
163.93 KB
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fuels.csv
330.97 KB
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plotd.csv
391.60 KB
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README.md
147.95 KB
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regen.csv
817.26 KB
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species_referencelist.csv
50.47 KB
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species.csv
3.09 MB
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trees.csv
3.37 MB
Dec 04, 2025 version files 8.37 MB
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bu_treatment.csv
163.93 KB
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fuels.csv
330.97 KB
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plotd.csv
391.67 KB
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README.md
147.95 KB
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regen.csv
817.26 KB
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species_referencelist.csv
50.47 KB
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species.csv
3.09 MB
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trees.csv
3.37 MB
Abstract
The California Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program dataset (2019-2024) provides comprehensive ecological monitoring data from prescribed fire treatments across California's diverse forest ecosystems. This dataset encompasses forest structure and cover, fuel loads, and post-fire recovery metrics, collected using a standardized protocol, from over 36 disparate sites (114 burn units, 972 plots, and 1,838 total surveys). Data collected during pre-fire, immediate and multi-year post-fire sampling episodes allow for robust analysis of prescribed fire effects across variable environmental conditions. The monitoring framework captures key ecological indicators, including tree mortality, fuel consumption, understory vegetation response, species composition, and regeneration. This dataset can address critical knowledge gaps regarding prescribed fire effectiveness for ecological restoration, hazardous fuel reduction, and ecosystem resilience objectives. These data can support evidence-based fire management decisions, validate fire effects models, and establish baseline reference conditions for future prescribed fire implementation throughout California's fire-prone landscapes.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.612jm64gw
Description of the data and file structure
Study Overview:
The California Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program (CPFMP) was established to monitor the ecological effects of prescribed fire across diverse California ecosystems. The program collects comprehensive data on vegetation, fuels, and forest structure before and after prescribed burns to inform fire management and ecological restoration.
Study Design:
- 36 sites across California
- 114 burn units
- 972 monitoring plots
- 1,838 total surveys conducted
- Repeated measurements: pre-fire, immediate post-fire, and up to 8 years post-fire
Key Features:
- Long-term monitoring (2019-2024, with historical Caples data 2013-2018)
- Standardized protocols across all sites
- Multiple vegetation and fuel measurements
- Individual tree tracking with permanent tags
- Comprehensive species documentation
Files and variables
Data Files
Files
The CPFMP dataset consists of seven data tables provided as comma-separated text files (*.csv), two support documents provided in portable document format (*.pdf), and one folder (Photos.zip*) containing all labeled photos (*.jpg). Five of the tables include the main collected and calculated data (trees.csv, fuels.csv, plotd.csv, species.csv, regen.csv), and two additional data tables provide support data (bu_treatment.csv, species_referencelist.csv). The database comprises 36 sites, 114 burn units, 972 plots, and 1,838 total surveys conducted.
The trees.csv file contains individual tree measurements, including status (live or dead), species, DBH (cm), height (m), height to live crown (m), fire severity metrics (scorch height (m), torch height (m), scorch percent, torch percent), and notes of any tree damage, such as broken top, disease, pests.
The fuels.csv file includes surface and ground fuel loading calculations by time lag classes (1-hr to 1000-hr+ fuels), as well as duff and litter depths and loadings.
The plotd.csv file provides descriptive information about each plot for each sampling time, such as slope, aspect, and vegetation and ground cover percentage measurements.
The species.csv file details the vegetation composition of each plot, which includes the cover percentage of each identified plant species within the plots, the layer code of tree species, and the modal height of shrub species.
The regen.csv file focuses on tree regeneration within the microplot, recording data on seedlings, saplings, and resprouts.
The bu_treatment.csv file serves as a plot treatment and sampling log that includes IDs of the site, burn unit, prescribed burn dates, sampling types and dates, and geographic coordinates.
The species_referencelist.csv file contains a complete list of all species codes recorded in all plots, along with their respective scientific names, lifeforms, and nativity status in California.
The first support document, CPFMP_MetaData.pdf, serves as a metadata file for the CPFMP field data collection operations and dataset. It includes descriptions of the tables within the datasets, explanations of special cases, and details of calculations performed on the data.
The second support document, CPFMP_Protocol.pdf, details the protocol that was followed during field data collection. It outlines the procedures for the sampling design, plot establishment, measurements of tree characteristics, vegetation cover and composition, ground cover, fuel loads, and regeneration.
There are some common variables across the files:
- plotd.csv, trees.csv, fuels.csv, species.csv and regen.csv are linked through site, burn_unit, plot_id, year, post_time, pre_post_fire and timing_label.
- bu_treatment.csv is linked to plotd.csv, fuels.csv, trees.csv, species.csv and regen.csv through site, burn_unit and plot_id.
- species reference list is linked to trees.csv, species_cvs and regen.csv through species_code.
NA is used consistently throughout the dataset to indicate missing values, with the specific reason (not applicable vs. not measured) detailed for each variable in the Missing data column.
plotd.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Data Type | Units | Time Sampled | Definition / Measurement Method | Missing Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | Character | N/A | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. | None |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | Character | N/A | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. | None |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | Character | N/A | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. | None |
| Sampled Year | year | Integer | YYYYY | N/A | The year in which the sampling was conducted: 2013_2018 (Caples data), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | None |
| Prefire or Postfire Sample | pre_post_fire | Character | N/A | N/A | When the sample occurred, before Rxfire (prefire) or after (postfire). | None |
| Time of Prefire or Postfire Sampling | post_time | Character | N/A | N/A | For the prefire sampling, plots could be sampled one (1st) or twice (2nd). Some sites were also mechanically thinned (Cleveland Los Huecos, Burton Creek) before the Rx fire (post_trtmt). After the Rxfire, the plots were sampled at several times (1, 2, 4, 5 or 8yr) | None |
| Specific Sampling Timing | timing_label | Character | N/A | N/A | A combination of the last two rows, the type of sampling (pre_post_fire) and the timing (post_time): prefire_1st, prefire_2nd, prefire_post_trtm, postfire_immediate, postfire_1y, postfire_2yr, postfire_4yr, postfire_5yr, postfire_8yr | None |
| Fire Severity | fireseverity | Character | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Immediate-Post or 1yr-Postfire | Visual assessment of fire severity class of any recent fire on the plot. Observations of old signs of fire are added to the plot history or notes column. | NA = prefire samples; assessment not conducted |
| Slope of Plot | slope_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Prefire | Using a clinometer, the slope of the plot is measured to the nearest 1% from the plot center to the plot edge in two directions along the aspect axis (upslope and downslope). These two measurements are averaged to determine the plot's slope. | NA = not measured; postfire samples |
| Aspect of Plot | aspect_degree | Numeric | Degrees (°) | Prefire | Aspect is the direction the slope of the plot faces in degrees (0-360°). Using a hand-held compass and standing at the top edge of the plot, the predominant aspect is measured and recorded to the nearest 1 degree. The aspect is measured in the same direction as the slope. | NA = not measured; postfire samples |
| Most Common Vegetation within Plot | existing_veg | Character | 6 letter code | Every time (Sampled until 2021) | The three most common species (four/six-letter code) in order of dominance within the plot. | NA = not recorded; discontinued 2021 |
| Witness Tree Distance | witnesstree_dist_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Prefire (if WT died, new measurements Postfire) | The witness tree is the first live tree (≥ 7.6 cm DBH) tagged, clockwise from 0 degrees (true north) from plot center. The distance is recorded (nearest 0.1m) from base of tree to the plot center. In the case that all trees within the plot died, a witness tree (not tagged) outside the plot is selected and in addition the DBH as well as the species are getting recorded. This tree will be the closest live tree to the plot edge, therefore in some instances the distance can be >11.3m (plot radius is 11.3m). | NA = not recorded; witness tree not established |
| Witness Tree Azimuth | wtree_azimuth_degree | Numeric | Degrees (°) | Prefire (if WT died, new measurements Postfire) | The witness tree's position measured in degrees (0-360°), taken as a clockwise angle from true north to the plot center. When measuring a witness tree's azimuth, the measurement is taken by standing at the witness tree facing plot center, placing the compass's north needle pointing toward plot center, and turning the degree reading to measure how many degrees it differs from true north to plot center. In combination with the witness tree distance measurement, this allows the witness tree's exact position to be mapped and helps to relocate the plot center in future surveys. | NA = not recorded; witness tree not established |
| Witness Tree Tag Number | wtree_TagNo | Integer | N/A | Prefire (if WT died, new measurements Postfire) | The number of the tag on the witness tree. | NA = not recorded; tree not tagged; witness tree changed |
| Total Vegetation Cover | total_veg_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Cover of all living vegetation (trees, shrubs, grass, and forbs) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; not measured |
| Total Tree Cover | tot_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all trees (live and dead) of all size classes (TOV, TSA, TSE) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; discontinued 2024 |
| Modal Height of Total Trees | tot_height_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Modal height of all trees in overstory layer (live and dead) within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no trees present |
| Total Dead Overstory Cover | deadtree_all_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all sizes dead trees (TOV, TSA, TSE) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no dead trees |
| Average Height of Dead Overstory | deadtree_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Average height of all sizes dead trees (TOV, TSA, TSE) in overstory layer within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no dead trees |
| Total Live Overstory Cover | tov_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Cover of all living trees within the overstory layer (≥ 1.37 m and ≥ 7.6cm DBH) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; no overstory trees |
| Average Height of Live Overstory | tov_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Average height of all live trees in overstory layer within plot. Based off of sampled heights in tree data. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no overstory |
| Total Live Sapling Cover | tsa_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all living saplings (tree species, ≥ 1.37m tall and < 7.6cm DBH) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no saplings |
| Average Height of Saplings | tsa_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Average height of all live saplings within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no saplings |
| Total Live Seedling cover | tse_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all living seedlings (tree species, < 1.37m tall) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no seedlings |
| Mean MaximumHeight of Seedlings | tse_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Mean height of all tallest (per species) live seedlings within plot. Based off of sampled heights in regeneration data. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no seedlings |
| Total Live Resprout cover | tre_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all living resprouts (tree species, < 1.37m tall and originated from stump or tree) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no resprouts |
| Average Height of Resprouts | tre_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Average height of all live resprouts within plot. Based off of sampled heights in regeneration data. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no resprouts |
| Total Shrub Cover | tos_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Cover of all living shrubs (> 1.8 m tall) as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; no shrubs |
| Average Height of Shrubs | tos_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Average height of all live shrubs within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; no shrubs |
| Total dead Shrub Cover | ds_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2021) | Cover of all dead shrubs as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; discontinued 2022 ; no dead shrubs |
| Average Height of Dead Shrubs | ds_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2021) | Average height of all dead shrubs within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; discontinued 2022; no dead shrubs |
| Total Forb Cover | tof_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all forbs as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no forbs |
| Modal Height of Forbs | tof_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Modal height of all present forbs within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; no forbs |
| Total Grass Cover | tog_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Cover of all graminoids/grasses as a percent of the entire plot from a birds-eye view, estimate cover to nearest 1%. This value ignores plant overlap and cannot exceed 100%. | NA = immediate postfire; 2024; no grasses |
| Modal Height of Grasses | tog_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Modal height of all graminoids/grasses within plot. | NA = immediate postfire; no grasses |
| Cover of Bare Soil | baresoil_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of bare soil within plot. | NA = not measured |
| Litter Cover | litter_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of litter within plot. | NA = not measured |
| Black Litter Cover | blacklitter_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of blackened litter within plot for Prefire sampling). | NA = not measured; not present |
| Cover of Coarse Woody Debris | cwd_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds-eye view), to the nearest 1%, of CWD within the plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Cover of Cones | cones_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of cones within plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Boulder/Bedrock cover | boulder_bedrock_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of boulders and bedrock (> 600 mm diameter) within plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Small Rock cover | smallrock_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of small rock (<75 mm diameter) within plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Large rock cover | rock_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Until 2022: Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of large rock (75 – 600 mm diameter) within plot. From 2023 on: Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of all rock within plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Cover of Ash | ash_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of ash within plot, not applicable [NA] to Prefire sampling. | NA = prefire (not applicable); no ash present |
| Cover of Basal Vegetation | basal_veg_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of live and dead basal vegetation within plot (imagine all plants being sliced off at their base and then summing their surface areas as a % of plot area). | NA = not measured; not present |
| Cover of Cryptograms | cryptograms_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of cryptograms (moss, fungi, etc.) within plot. | NA = not measured; not present |
| Cover of Road surface | road_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2021) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of existing road within plot. | NA = not measured; no road in plot;2022,2023,2024 |
| Cover of Burn Piles | burnpile_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Started Sampling in 2023) | Estimated percent ground surface cover (birds eye view), to the nearest 1%, of burn piles within plot. | NA = not measured; no burn pile;2024 |
| Shrub torching percent | shrub_torch_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent torch (amount visibly burned off by fire) for shrubs, total amount of shrubs = 100%. | NA = prefire (not applicable); not assessed;2023,2024 |
| Shrub scorching percent | shrub_scorch_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | Estimated percent scorch (amount visible heated by fire) for shrubs, total amount of shrubs = 100%. | NA = prefire (not applicable); not assessed |
| Cover of Unburned Shrubs | shrub_unburn_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire (Sampled until 2022) | Estimated percent unburned (amount visible not affected by fire) shrubs within plots, total amount of shrubs = 100%. | NA = prefire (not applicable); not assessed;2023,2024 |
| Percent of area burned in a plot | area_burned_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time | Visual assessment of the percentage of the plot burned | NA = prefire (not applicable); not assessed |
| History of Site/Burn Unit/Plot | history | Character | N/A | Every time | Any interesting previous events within site/burn unit/plot. | NA = no historical notes recorded |
| Witness Tree Species | witnesstreespecies | Character | 6 letter code | Prefire (if WT died, new measurements Postfire) | The tree species of the witness tree in six letter codes, if the witness tree is not tagged. | NA = not recorded; species not identified |
species.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Data Type | Units | Time Sampled | Definition / Measurement Method | Missing Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | Character | N/A | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. | None |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | Character | N/A | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. | None |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | Character | N/A | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. | None |
| Sampled Year | year | Integer | YYYYY | N/A | The year in which the sampling was conducted: 2013_2018 (Caples data), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | None |
| Prefire or Postfire Sample | pre_post_fire | Character | N/A | N/A | When the sample occurred, before Rxfire (prefire) or after (postfire). | None |
| Time of Prefire or Postfire Sampling | post_time | Character | N/A | N/A | For the prefire sampling, plots could be sampled one (1st) or twice (2nd). Some sites were also mechanically thinned (Cleveland Los Huecos, Burton Creek) before the Rx fire (post_trtmt). After the Rxfire, the plots were sampled at several times (1, 2, 4, 5 or 8yr) | None |
| Specific Sampling Timing | timing_label | Character | N/A | N/A | A combination of the last two rows, the type of sampling (pre_post_fire) and the timing (post_time): prefire_1st, prefire_2nd, prefire_post_trtm, postfire_immediate, postfire_1y, postfire_2yr, postfire_4yr, postfire_5yr, postfire_8yr | None |
| Status of Species | status_live_dead | Character | live, dead | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Records whether the species is alive or dead at the time of sampling. | NA = status not recorded |
| Lifeform of Species | life_form | Character | TR, SH, FB, GR, FERN, OTHERS | Every time, except Immediate-Post | For each species, one of the following life forms: tree [TR], shrub [SH], forb [FB], graminoids/grasses [GR], or fern [FERN] gets recorded. For other life forms [OTHER]. | NA = life form not recorded |
| Layer code | layer_code | Character | TOV, TSA, TSE, TRE | Every time, except Immediate-Post | For each tree species one of the following layer codes overstory [TOV], sapling [TSA], seedling [TSE] or resprout [TRE] gets recorded. | NA = non-tree species |
| Existing Species | species_code | Character | 6 letter code | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Each species present within plot is recorded in a separate row, with a six-letter code for all species. | NA = species not identified to species level |
| Percent cover | percent_cover | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Percent cover within the plot to nearest 1% per species, if percent cover is < 1% trace cover [tr] gets recorded. Plants reaching over plot edge get recorded as well. Since plants and layers overlap the summed values can be > 100%. | NA = cover not measured |
| Modal Height of Shrubs | model_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | For each shrub species, the modal height is recorded at the nearest 0.1 meter. | NA = not measured; non-shrub species (not applicable); insufficient individuals to determine modal height |
trees.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Data Type | Units | Time Sampled | Definition / Measurement Method | Missing Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | Character | N/A | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. 36 different sites | None |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | Character | N/A | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. | None |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | Character | N/A | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. | None |
| Sampled Year | year | Integer | YYYYY | N/A | The year in which the sampling was conducted: 2013_2018 (Caples data), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | None |
| Prefire or Postfire Sample | pre_post_fire | Character | N/A | N/A | When the sample occurred, before Rxfire (prefire) or after (postfire). | None |
| Time of Prefire or Postfire Sampling | post_time | Character | N/A | N/A | For the prefire sampling, plots could be sampled one (1st) or twice (2nd). Some sites were also mechanically thinned (Cleveland Los Huecos, Burton Creek) before the Rx fire (post_trtmt). After the Rxfire, the plots were sampled at several times (1, 2, 4, 5 or 8yr) | None |
| Specific Sampling Timing | timing_label | Character | N/A | N/A | A combination of the last two rows, the type of sampling (pre_post_fire) and the timing (post_time): prefire_1st, prefire_2nd, prefire_post_trtm, postfire_immediate, postfire_1y, postfire_2yr, postfire_4yr, postfire_5yr, postfire_8yr | None |
| Tag Number | tag_id | Integer | N/A | Every time | Within the plot, all live trees ≥ 7.6cm DBH and ≥ 1.37 m tall are tagged clockwise from the plot center beginning at the North transect (0 degrees). If two trees are right behind each other, the closest one to plot center will be measured first. A tree on the edge of the plot counts as “in” if the center of the bole (pith) at the base is 11.3m (radius of plot) or closer to the plot center (measured with tape). Dead and trees are not tagged. And some landowners do not allow tagging, in these cases the trees will be NA in the dataset. | NA = tag lost, damaged, or unreadable |
| Status of Tree | status_live_dead | Character | live, dead | Every time | Is the present tree live or dead at the time of sampling. When the tree has just the stump, we recorded it, and then measured the height and diameter. | NA = stumps (< 7.6cm DBH and <1.37 m tall) |
| Tree species | species_code | Character | 6 letters | Every time | The tree species are in six-letter codes | NA = species not identified in field |
| Tree Diameter | dbh_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Prefire and 1yr- Postfire | For live and dead trees ≥ 7.6cm DBH and ≥ 1.37 m tall. Diameter at breast height (measured at 1.37m above the ground), from the uphill side of the slope. | NA = measurement failed or not recorded |
| Tree Height | height_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Prefire and 1yr- Postfire | Measured height, from base to tip. | NA = not measured. |
| Height to Tree Live Crown | ht_to_live_crown_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Prefire and 1yr- Postfire until 2023, then: Every time | Height from the ground to the beginning of vertically continuous foliage. Single, isolated branches below the continuous crown are not included. Measurements were taken to the nearest 0.1m. For epicormically sprouting trees, put “epicormic crown” in the notes column. | NA = dead trees (no live crown); not measured; measurement not applicable |
| Live Crown Ratio | live_crown_ratio_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Every time (Sampled until 2020) | Estimated percent of the crown of the tree that is alive. | NA = dead trees (not applicable); not measured; insufficient data to calculate |
| Crown Class | crown_class | Character | OP, DO, CO, IN, OV, RE, AB, IB | Every time, (Sampled until 2020) | Crown class is the description of the relative position of the tree crown with respect to competing vegetation surrounding the tree. The classification is based on how much light the tree's crown is receiving, not its position in the canopy. OV (Overstory), CO (Co-dominant), IN (Intermediate), DO (Dominant), OP (Open-grown), AB (Absent), RE (Regeneration) | NA = not assessed |
| Crown Width | crown_width_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, (Sampled until 2021) | Measured crown width per tree. Two measures are made, one of the widest width and one orthogonal to that, the average is taken. | NA = not measured; dead trees; measurement not possible |
| Bole char height | bolechar_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | Average height of the char on bole. Two measures are made: one of the highest bole char and one of the lowest and the average is taken. | NA = no previous fire char present; not measured |
| Decay Class | decay_class | Character | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Every time | For standing dead trees (snags), estimated decay class. | NA = live trees (not applicable); not assessed for dead trees |
| Scorch height | scorch_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | The highest point of scorching (browned/reddened, heat damaged leaves after fire) within the crown. | NA = prefire samples; no scorch present; not measured |
| Percent crown scorch | scorch_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | The estimated percent of the tree crown that is scorched/browned. | NA = prefire samples; no scorch; not measured |
| Torch height | torch_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | The highest point of torching (blackened, burned off leaves or branches after the fire). | NA = prefire samples; no torching occurred; not measured |
| Percent crown torch | torch_percent | Numeric | Percent (%) | Immediate-Post or 1yr- Postfire | The estimated percent of the tree crown that is torched/consumed by fire. | NA = prefire samples; no torching; not measured |
| Health Indications | health_code | Character | N/A | Every time | Any health remarks, if necessary. This column has a drop-down with health code examples. | NA = no health issues observed; not assessed |
| health_code2 | Character | N/A | Every time | Any health remarks not included in drop down of previous column. | NA = no health issues observed; not assessed | |
| Resprout on Tree | resprout | Character | yes, no | Immediate-Post | Resprouts found on trees after fire, yes or no. | NA = not applicable for species that don't resprout |
| Stump Diameter | stump_diam_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time (Sampled until 2021) | Stump diameter, looking from above. | NA = no secondary health issues; not assessed |
| Stump Height | stump_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time (Sampled until 2021) | Measured height, from base to highest point. | NA = not assessed |
| Notes | notes | Character | N/A | N/A | Field notes about tree condition, measurement issues, or other observations | NA = no notes recorded |
fuels.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Data Type | Units | Time Sampled | Definition / Measurement Method | Missing Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | Character | N/A | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. 36 different sites | None |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | Character | N/A | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. | None |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | Character | N/A | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. | None |
| Sampled Year | year | Integer | YYYYY | N/A | The year in which the sampling was conducted: 2013_2018 (Caples data), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | None |
| Prefire or Postfire Sample | pre_post_fire | Character | N/A | N/A | When the sample occurred, before Rxfire (prefire) or after (postfire). | None |
| Time of Prefire or Postfire Sampling | post_time | Character | N/A | N/A | For the prefire sampling, plots could be sampled one (1st) or twice (2nd). Some sites were also mechanically thinned (Cleveland Los Huecos, Burton Creek) before the Rx fire (post_trtmt). After the Rxfire, the plots were sampled at several times (1, 2, 4, 5 or 8yr) | None |
| Specific Sampling Timing | timing_label | Character | N/A | N/A | A combination of the last two rows, the type of sampling (pre_post_fire) and the timing (post_time): prefire_1st, prefire_2nd, prefire_post_trtm, postfire_immediate, postfire_1y, postfire_2yr, postfire_4yr, postfire_5yr, postfire_8yr | None |
| Litter Fuel Load | fuelload_litter_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The fuel load of litter in metric tons per hectare calculated from the average litter depth. Calculations. | NA = not measured; calculation not possible |
| Duff Fuel Load | fuelload_duff_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The fuel load of duff in metric tons per hectare calculated from avearge duff depth. Calculations. | NA = not measured; calculation not possible |
| 1-hour Fuel Load | fuelload_1h_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | Fuel loading of 1-hr fuels (<0.64 cm diameter) in Mg/ha, determined as the average loading from four Brown’s fuels transects. | NA = not measured; measurement error |
| 10-hour Fuel Load | fuelload_10h_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | Fuel loading of 10-hr fuels (0.64 - 2.54 cm diameter) in Mg/ha, determined as the average loading from four Brown’s fuels transects. | NA = not measured; measurement error |
| 100-hour Fuel Load | fuelload_100h_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | Fuel loading of 100-hour fuels (2.54-7.6 cm diameter) in Mg/ha, determined as the average loading from four Brown’s fuels transects. | NA = not measured; measurement error |
| Sound Coarse Woody Debris loading | fuelload_1000s_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | Fuel loading of sound 1000-hour fuels (diameter at point of transect intersection ≥ 7.6 cm) in Mg/ha, determined as the average loading from four Brown’s fuels transects. | NA = not measured; measurement error |
| Rotten Coarse Woody Debris loading | fuelload_1000r_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | Fuel loading of rotten 1000-hour fuels (diameter at point of transect intersection ≥ 7.6 cm) found on the four transects within plot in Mg/ha, determined as the average loading from four Brown’s fuels transects. | NA = not measured; measurement error |
| Fine fuel loading | fuelload_fwd_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The total fine fuel loading, 1-hour, 10-hour, and 100-hour fuels combined, in metric tons per hectare. | NA = component fuels not measured; calculation not possible |
| Total Coarse Woody Debris loading | fuelload_1000h_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The total 1000-hour fuel load, sound and rotten combined, in metric tons per hectare. | NA = component fuels not measured; calculation not possible |
| Total Surface Fuel loading | fuelload_surface_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The total surface fuel load, in metric tons per hectare. This is the sum of the litter, fine fuels (1-100 hour), and 1000-hour fuel loads. | NA = component measurements missing; calculation not possible |
| Total Fuel loading | fuelload_total_Mgha | Numeric | Metric tons per Hectare (mg/ha) | Every time | The total fuel load, in metric tons per hectare. This is the sum of the litter, duff, fine fuels (1-100 hour), and 1000-hour fuel loads. | NA = component measurements missing; calculation not possible |
| Duff Depth | duff_depth_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time | The average of sampled duff depths along the fuel transects. Duff is between the litter and mineral soil, and includes decomposing organic material, decomposed to the point that there are no clearly identifiable whole organic materials like pine needles, leaves, twigs, etc., although larger decomposing tree branches etc. can sometimes be found in duff. | NA = not measured; no duff present |
| Litter Depth | litter_depth_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time | The average of sampled litter depths within plot. Litter is undecomposed or only partially decomposed organic material that can be readily identified (e.g., plant leaves, needles, twigs, etc.). | NA = not measured; no litter present |
| Fuel Depth | fuel_depth_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time | The average of sampled fuel depths within plot. Fuel depth is the height between the bottom of the litter layer (top of duff) to the highest dead fuel not attached to a rooted plant (branch or needles or stick, etc.). Since it includes the litter, this measurement can never be lower than the litter depth. All litter is fuel but not all fuel is litter. | NA = not measured; measurement not taken |
regen.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Data Type | Units | Time Sampled | Definition / Measurement Method | Missing Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | Character | N/A | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. | None |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | Character | N/A | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. | None |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | Character | N/A | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. | None |
| Sampled Year | year | Integer | YYYYY | N/A | The year in which the sampling was conducted: 2013_2018 (Caples data), 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | None |
| Prefire or Postfire Sample | pre_post_fire | Character | N/A | N/A | When the sample occurred, before Rxfire (prefire) or after (postfire). | None |
| Time of Prefire or Postfire Sampling | post_time | Character | N/A | N/A | For the prefire sampling, plots could be sampled one (1st) or twice (2nd). Some sites were also mechanically thinned (Cleveland Los Huecos, Burton Creek) before the Rx fire (post_trtmt). After the Rxfire, the plots were sampled at several times (1, 2, 4, 5 or 8yr) | None |
| Specific Sampling Timing | timing_label | Character | N/A | N/A | A combination of the last two rows, the type of sampling (pre_post_fire) and the timing (post_time): prefire_1st, prefire_2nd, prefire_post_trtm, postfire_immediate, postfire_1y, postfire_2yr, postfire_4yr, postfire_5yr, postfire_8yr | None |
| Existing Species | species_code | Character | 6 letter code | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Each tree species present within regen plot (4.37m radius around plot center) is recorded in a separate row, with a six-letter code (with some exceptions for unknowns, which may have longer codes). A seedling key for conifer species was used to support the identification. | NA = species not identified |
| Status of Species | status_live_dead | Character | live, dead | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Records whether species is alive or dead at the time of sampling. | NA = status not recorded |
| Lifeform of Species | layer_code | Character | tse, tsa, tre | Every time, except Immediate-Post | For each species, one of the following layer code: seedling [tse], sapling [tsa], or resprout [tre] gets recorded. | NA = layer not recorded |
| Number of Seedlings | tse_count | Integer | N/A | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Number of tree seedlings (< 1.37 m in height), for each species and age separately, is recorded. If regen plot is covered with homogeneous, extremely dense seedlings, all seedlings in one quarter of regen plot get counted and multiplied by 4. | NA = not TSE regeneration type; not counted |
| Height of Tallest Seedling | tse_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Height of the tallest individual seedling. | NA = not TSE; not measured |
| Age of Seedling | tse_age | Character | 0, 1+ (before 2022 every seedling was aged) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Estimated age class, 0 (first year) and 1+ (older than one year). | NA = not TSE; age not estimated |
| Number of Saplings | tsa_cohort_count | Integer | N/A | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Number of tree sapling (>1.37 m tall but <7.6 cm diameter), of each species, is recorded. A separate row for each individual sapling (count = 1) is used, except if groups of saplings are an obvious cohort (count > 1). Cohort meaning them having similar heights and DBH. | NA = not TSA regeneration type; not counted |
| Height of Sapling | tsa_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Measured height, from base to tip. In the case of cohorts, the modal height is recorded. | NA = not TSA ; not measured |
| Diameter of Sapling | tsa_dbh_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Measured diameter at breast height (at 1.37m above the ground), from the uphill side of the slope. In the case of cohorts, the modal DBH is recorded. | NA = not TSA |
| Number of Resprouts in Cohort | tre_count | Integer | N/A | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Number of sprouts within each resprout cohort (cohort ≥ 1). Resprouts may be counted as a cohort, when originating from the same stump/trunk or < 1m apart. If there is no visible stump/trunk for origin of resprout, count stems as seedlings. From 2024 on: Resprouts > 1.37m tall, got count as saplings. | NA = not TRE regeneration type; not counted |
| Height of Tallest Resprout | tre_ht_m | Numeric | Meter (m) | Every time, except Immediate-Post | Height of the tallest individual sprout per cohort. | NA = not TRE; not measured |
| Diameter of Biggest Resprout | tre_dbh_cm | Numeric | Centimeter (cm) | Every time, except Immediate-Post (Sampled until 2023) | Measured diameter at breast height (at 1.37m above the ground), if resprout is > 1.37m tall, from the uphill side of the slope. In the case of cohorts, the DBH of the biggest sprout is recorded. | NA = not TRE; not measured |
bu_treatment.csv
| Variable | Column Name | Units | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sampled Site | site | N/A | The specific site that was sampled. 36 different sites |
| Sampled Burn Unit | burn_unit | N/A | The burn unit where each plot is located. |
| Sampled Plot | plot_id | N/A | The plot name. Each plot received a unique plot ID, often including the site code and three numbers. There are a few sites whose plots do not include the site code and/or only 1 to 2 numbers. |
| Prior Rxfire | priorburn_rx_year | YYYY | The year when a prescribed fire burned, before the project started. (rx2 = second prescribed burn) |
| priorburn_rx2_year | YYYY | ||
| Prior Wildfire history | priorburn_wildfire_year | YYYY | The date (month, year, and the name of the wildfire) when a wildfire burned, before the project started. |
| priorburn_wildfire_month | MM | ||
| priorburn_wildfire_name | text | ||
| Post Wildfire | postburn_wildfire_year | YYYY | The date (divided by month and year, as well as, the name of the wildfire) when a wildfire burned, during the project. |
| postburn_wildfire_month | MM | ||
| postburn_wildfire_name | text | ||
| Plot Burned | burn | yes, no | If the plot burned (combination of the two previous columns), yes or no. |
| Rxfire | burn_hour | HHMM | The date (hour, day, month and year) when a prescribed burn was conducted, during the project. |
| burn_day | DD | ||
| burn_month | MM | ||
| burn_year | YYYY | ||
| Second Rxfire | burn2_hour | HHMM | The date (hour, day, month and year) when a second prescribed burn was conducted, during the project. |
| burn2_day | DD | ||
| burn2_month | MM | ||
| burn2_year | YYYY | ||
| First Prefire Sampling | prefire_1st_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the first conducted Prefire sampling. |
| prefire_1st_day | DD | ||
| prefire_1st_month | MM | ||
| prefire_1st_year | YYYY | ||
| Second Prefire Sampling | prefire_2nd_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the second conducted Prefire sampling. |
| prefire_2nd_day | DD | ||
| prefire_2nd_month | MM | ||
| prefire_2nd_year | YYYY | ||
| Post-Thinning | prefire_post_trtmt_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Prefire sampling, if it was after a mechanical thinning. If an area got sampled twice after mechanical thinning and a prescribed burn still was not conducted, two years are present within the “prefire_post_trtmt _year” column. |
| prefire_post_trtmt _day | DD | ||
| prefire_post_trtmt _month | MM | ||
| prefire_post_trtmt _year | YYYY | ||
| Immediat Postfire | postfire_immediate_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was immediately (<1 year) after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_immediate_day | DD | ||
| postfire_immediate_month | MM | ||
| postfire_immediate_year | YYYY | ||
| 1 Year Postfire | postfire_1yr_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was 1 year after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_1yr_day | DD | ||
| postfire_1yr_month | MM | ||
| postfire_1yr_year | YYYY | ||
| 2 Year Postfire | postfire_2yr_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was 2 years after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_2yr_day | DD | ||
| postfire_2yr_month | MM | ||
| postfire_2yr_year | YYYY | ||
| 4 Year Postfire | postfire_4yr_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was 4 years after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_4yr_day | DD | ||
| postfire_4yr_month | MM | ||
| postfire_4yr_year | YYYY | ||
| 5 Year Postfire | postfire_5yr_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was 5 years after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_5yr_day | DD | ||
| postfire_5yr_month | MM | ||
| postfire_5yr_year | YYYY | ||
| 8 Year Postfire | postfire_8yr_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was 8 years after the prescribed burn. |
| postfire_8yr_day | DD | ||
| postfire_8yr_month | MM | ||
| postfire_8yr_year | YYYY | ||
| Second Immediate Postfire | postfire_2nd_immediate_date | MM/DD/YYYY | The date (divided by day, month and year, as well as, the entire date) of the conducted Postfire sampling, if it was immediately (<1 year) after the second prescribed burn. |
| postfire_2nd_immediate_day | DD | ||
| postfire_2nd_immediate_month | MM | ||
| postfire_2nd_immediate_year | YYYY | ||
| Plot location | Latitude | Degrees (°) | Angular distance north or south of the Earth's equator |
| Longitude | Degrees (°) | Angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian (Greenwich) | |
| Notes | notes | N/A | Any interesting facts about the plot and the sampling were conducted. |
species_referencelist.csv
This file serves as a taxonomic reference to join with trees.csv, species.csv, and regen.csv to obtain full species names and attributes. Nomenclature follows Jepson eFlora (Jepson Flora Project, 2024).
| Column Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lifeform | tree [TR], shrub [SH], forb [FB], graminoids/grasses [GR], or fern [FERN] or other life forms [OTHER]. |
| CODE | Species codes are 6-letter codes, that represent the first three letters of the genus and the first three letters of the species. |
| Family | Taxonomic family |
| Genus | Taxonomic genus |
| Species | Species name |
| Status | Native/Naturalized |
Variable Code Interpretations
Fire Severity codes:
| Fire Severity Class | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | Unburned |
| 1 | Light patchy burn pattern, very little overstory mortality, groups of surviving shrubs/saplings |
| 2 | Lightly burned, isolated overstory mortality, most shrubs/saplings dead |
| 3 | Moderately burned, mixed overstory mortality, understory mostly burned to ground |
| 4 | High severity, significant proportion (75-100%) of overstory killed, dead needles remaining on trees 1 year later |
| 5 | High severity burn, total/near total mortality of overstory, most needles consumed in fire |
(Welch et al., 2016)
Crown Class codes:
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| OP | Open-grown or Isolated | Tree crowns receive full light from above and from all sides. In even-aged stands, these trees have their crowns well above the general canopy. |
| DO | Dominant | Tree crowns receive full light from above and partly from the sides. Crowns extend above the general level of the crown cover of others of the same stratum and are not physically restricted from above, although possibly somewhat crowded by other trees on the sides. |
| CO | Codominant | Tree crowns receive full light from above, but comparatively little from the sides. Crowns form a general level of crown stratum, are not physically restricted from above and are crowded by other trees from the sides. |
| IN | Intermediate | Tree crowns occupy a definitely subordinate position and are subject to strong lateral competition from crowns of dominants and codominant. They receive little direct light from above through small holes in the canopy, but no light from the sides. |
| OV | Overtopped | Tree crowns receive no direct light from above or from the sides and are entirely below the general level of dominant and codominant trees. |
| RE | Remnant | Trees that remain from a previous management activity or catastrophic event. The tree is significantly older than the surrounding vegetation. Remnant trees do not form a canopy layer and are usually isolated individuals or small clumps. This definition is from the Region 6 Inventory and Monitoring System field procedures for the Current Vegetation Survey. |
| AB | Leader Above Brush | The terminal leader of the tree is above the surrounding brush, while the middle or lower crown may be within the brush canopy. |
| IB | Leader Within Brush | The terminal leader and upper crown of the tree is within the brush canopy. |
| UB | Leader Overtopped by Brush | The crown of the tree is completely overtopped by the surrounding brush. Brush cover crown classes only apply to isolated or dominant trees with brush competition; therefore, brush cover crown class codes are used as modifiers for open-grown or dominant trees. Competition from adjacent trees is more important than competition from shrubs if they both occur. Generally, brush cover crown codes are used in stands where overstory tree competition is absent. |
(US Forest Service, 2015)
Snag Decay Class:
| Code | Bark | Heartwood Decay | Sapwood Decay | Limbs | Top Breakage | Bole Form | Time Since Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tight, intact | Minor | None to incipient | Mostly Present | May be present | Intact | ≤5 years |
| 2 | 50% lose or missing | None to advanced | None to incipient | Small limbs missing | May be present | Intact | >5 years |
| 3 | 75% missing | Incipient to advanced | None to 25% | Few remain | Approx. 1/3 | Mostly intact | >5 years |
| 4 | 75% missing | Incipient to advanced | 25%+ | Few remain | Approx. 1/3 to ½ | Losing form, soft | >5 years |
| 5 | 75%+ missing | Advanced to crumbly | 50%+ advanced | Absent | Approx. ½+ | Form mostly lost | >5 years |
(US Forest Service, 2015)
Log Decay Class:
| Code | Bark | Twigs | Texture | Shape | Wood Color | Portion of log on ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intact | Present | Intact | Round | Original | None, elevated on supporting points |
| 2 | Intact | Absent | Intact to soft | Round | Original | Parts touch, still elevated, sagging slightly |
| 3 | Trace | Absent | Hard large pieces | Round | Original to faded | Bole on ground |
| 4 | Absent | Absent | Soft blocky pieces | Round to oval | Light brown to faded brown | Partially below ground |
| 5 | Absent | Absent | Soft, powdery | Oval | Faded light yellow or gray | Mostly below ground |
(US Forest Service, 2015)
Acronyms
- TOT VEG: total vegetation
- TOT: Total tree (All size classes, can be <1.37 m tall if majority cover is TSE)
- TOV: Total overstory (≥1.37 m tall and ≥7.6 cm DBH)
- TSA: Sapling (≥1.37 m tall and <7.6 cm DBH)
- TSE: Seedling (<1.37 m tall)
- DT: Dead tree (all size classes, can be <1.37 m height if majority cover is TSE)
- TOS: live shrub cover of all size classes
- DS: dead shrub cover of all size classes
| DBH_cm | Height_m | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | tse | <1.37 | |
| sapling | tsa | <7.6 | ≥1.37 |
| trees | tov | ≥7.6 | ≥1.37 |
References
Jepson Flora Project. (2024). Jepson eFlora. University of California, Berkeley. https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/
US Forest Service. 2015. FSVeg Common Stand Exam, User Guide, Chapter4: Collecting and Recording Data. ver. 2.12.6. Pages 4-65, 4-111, 4-114, 4-115
Welch, K. R., H. D. Safford, and T. P. Young. 2016. Predicting conifer establishment post wildfire in mixed conifer forests of the North American Mediterranean-climate zone. Ecosphere 7(12):e01609. 10.1002/ecs2.1609. Page 7
Code/software
We recommend using R statistical Software (R Core Team, 2025) to view our data. To read in the .csv files, you can use the following lines of code:
trees <- read.csv("trees.csv")
fuels <- read.csv("fuels.csv")
plotid <- read.csv("plotid.csv")
species <- read.csv("species.csv")
regen <- read.csv("regen.csv")
bu_treatment <- read.csv("bu_treatment.csv")
Changes after Nov 27, 2025:
The following changes were made due to scientific data journal reviewers' suggestions:
- plotd_csv. Cell BB2 text revised: "All plots in the Bear Mountain site were affected by the Rim Fire (2013), experiencing low to moderate severity fire effects."
- trees-csv. Column bolechar_m: we revised 39 cells where the value for bolechar was higher than the tree height, and changed bole char value to the tree height.
- CPFMP_Protocol.pdf, page 3, table 1, to read "significant proportion (75-90%) of overstory killed" as suggested.