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Journal Article

Contemporary Patterns of Prescribed Fire and Its Risks and Benefits to Water Quantity and Water Quality Over the Conterminous United States

Yuxin Zhang, Weiwei Li, Peter Caldwell, Stephen D. Sebestyen, Conghong Tang, Ryan Toot, Christopher Mihiar, Zachary Mondry, Yuting Song, Danny Mosher, Ge Sun • Environmental Research Letters • 2025
prescribed fire water resources forest management wildfire risk Southeast

Summary

Characterizes U.S. prescribed fire patterns from 1984-2022, finding the Southeast accounts for 79% of occurrences and 71% of burned area, and develops a framework balancing ecological benefits against hydrological risks.

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Abstract

Prescribed fire has emerged as an essential ecosystem management practice for maintaining forest health and mitigating wildfire risks. However, its spatio-temporal patterns and potential impacts on water quantity and quality remain poorly understood compared to wildfires.

By analyzing the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity database (1984-2022), we characterized distinct regional, seasonal, and interannual dynamics of large prescribed fires relative to wildfires across the conterminous United States.

Why It Matters

Prescribed fire is a critical tool for:

  • Reducing wildfire risk and fuel loads
  • Maintaining forest health and biodiversity
  • Managing water resources sustainably
  • Adapting to climate change impacts

Key Findings

  1. The Southeast dominates the national prescribed fire regime, accounting for 78.6% of total occurrences and 70.7% of total burned area
  2. Prescribed fire and wildfire show distinct regional, seasonal, and interannual patterns
  3. Prescribed fire can affect both water quantity and water quality

Adaptive Framework

We developed an adaptive framework that guides prescribed burning by balancing:

  • Ecological benefits (fuel reduction, forest health)
  • Hydrological benefits (watershed function)
  • Potential risks (short-term water quality impacts)

This framework promotes sustainable forest management, reduces wildfire risk, and protects water resources.

Citation

Zhang, Y., Li, W., Caldwell, P., Sebestyen, S. D., Tang, C., Toot, R., Mihiar, C., Mondry, Z., Song, Y., Mosher, D., & Sun, G. (2025). Contemporary Patterns of Prescribed Fire and Its Risks and Benefits to Water Quantity and Water Quality Over the Conterminous United States. Environmental Research Letters, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae20af

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