We established a network of 121 plots distributed within the 2020 SQF, 2020 Rattlesnake, and 2021 KNP complex fire footprints (extracted from Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), https://frap.fire.ca.gov), as well as outside the fire perimeters to provide an unburned comparison. These plots were combined from two projects: a fire and fuels study (F&F) and the USGS sequoia research program (SRP), a related study of sequoia grove condition. All plots were visited in the summer of 2022, and thus we captured dynamics 1 and 2 years post-fire. Plots were restricted to conifer forest types, informed by a Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks (SEKI) vegetation classification geospatial layer. F&F plots (102 in total) were stratified by elevation bands (1500-1917, 1917-2333, 2333-2750 m) and satellite-derived metrics of fire severity. SRP plots (19 in total) were placed in both burned and unburned giant sequoia groves. In all, 45 plots were located across eleven giant sequoia groves, with the remaining 76 plots located outside of groves.

These data represent tree diameter, species, mortality status, and plot attributes from 164 plots in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, California. Plots were matched with local records of recent fire history to determine burn status and year burned if applicable.

The Landfire 2016 data product has been modified to allow for fires occurring in 2017-2020 in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. 2017-2019 fires were modified based on extended burn severity. 2020 fires were all modified with partial data from BARC for Rattlesnake and Castle, others used Low severity as a default.

This vector point feature layer represents the ignition points from SEKI fire history from 1921 through 2024. Ignition locations for fires are typically mapped with GPS units or estimated on USGS Topo Quads by helicopter, field personnel, or fire lookouts. These locations are reported first locally (i.e. to dispatch) for operational response and then to national reporting systems. The locations in this dataset are imported from these various national reporting systems. DI-1202 Individual Fire Reports Historically, NPS fires were reported manually on DI-1202 Individual Fire Report Forms. Many locations in this dataset are from these DI-1202 records and their accuracy is variable. Where ignition points were not given on DI-1202 records, the ignition point was generated from the centroid of the fire history polygon. Shared Applications Computer System (SACS) Although the paper DI-1202 is the official fire record, many fire locations on DI-1202s were actually extracted from SACS. SACS was a computer system hosted by NIFC in Boise, Idaho for DOI agencies (NPS, FWS, and BIA) to electronically submit data from their DI-1202 forms. With this system, locations of fires were first recorded on paper, then uploaded, then annually downloaded to this dataset. Wildland Fire Management Information System (WFMI) WFMI replaced SACS as the primary fire reporting system in the 2000s for DOI because it tied into additional fire information systems. With the WFMI system, locations of fires were generated locally by fire personnel, uploaded into WFMI, and then annually downloaded into this dataset. Integrated Reporting of Wildland Fire Information (IRWIN) and Interagency Fire Occurrence Reporting Modules (InFORM) In 2018, NPS began the transition to InFORM, built on IRWIN. InFORM and IRWIN integrate and share data across disparate systems, reducing duplicative digital data entry. This system is tied to computer aided dispatch (CAD), so that fire locations are always up to date with whatever ground personnel have reported. With this system, locations of fires are automatically synced with IRWIN and then annually downloaded to this dataset. Other Notes For fires that originated outside the park boundaries, no ignition location is shown. The ignition location of record is kept internally by SEKI fire GIS staff due to the errors resulting from the SACS to WFMI conversion. These locations are the internal locations and not the locations shown on the 1202 report. WFMI was replaced by INFORM in 2020 but no official integrated dataset was complete by the time this dataset was processed. This data can be used for a variety of purposes including fire planning, operational applications, burned area recovery applications.

This vector polygon dataset represents fire history at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks from 1921 through 2024. In the parks, fire history information is compiled from various sources including fire reports, drawn maps, remote sensing, and GPS. Some perimeter data prior to 1996 originated as GRASS coverages with 30 meter resolution. Beginning in 1996, spatial data was digitally developed in ArcGIS at varying scales (typically digitized from 15 minute or 7.5 minute topo quads). Spatial and attribute accuracy are greatly increased from year 2002 and later. Polygons now come from the GISS process for mapping wildfires (which are automatically associated with fire ignition points in InFORM but can be accessed other ways as well).

This coverage represents the SEKI fire history from 1921 through 2020. A seperate database exists that has attribute information based on the common relate item called "gisno". This has now been linked to the WFMI database. 2020 data came from InForm and was manually merged with WFMI data from years prior. There was no integrated dataset of record at the time of publishing. Some of the spatial data is blocky because it originated as a GRASS coverage with 30 meter resolution. Beginning in 1996, the fire history data has been digitally developed in Arc/Info. The resulting smooth line polygon shapefiles depict fires that are 1996 and later. A significant quality control process has increased the accuracy of attributes in the 2002 version and later.

This dataset is essential to identifying high priority areas most in need of burn treatment to optimize the use of limited funding. Fire return interval is the average period between fires in a given area. In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, fire return interval is estimated using vegetation type. The estimation is based primarily on reconstructed fire history chronologies derived from tree-ring samples obtained from fire-scarred trees in the vicinity of the parks, or from the literature if the information for a vegetation type did not exist from within or near the park. To provide a conservative estimate, the maximum average return interval for each vegetation class is used. Fire return interval departure quantifies the difference between the expected and actual fire frequency in each vegetation type. It is calculated using the equation: (Time Since Last Fire - Fire Return Interval) / Fire Return Interval The time since last fire is derived from historic fire records or based on the last widespread fire date recorded by fire history reconstructions. The longer a time interval exceeds the historic return interval without a fire, the higher the priority rating for returning fire to this area. The priority ratings are classified according to how many return intervals have been missed. (The departure index ranges from -1 to 20 with 20 being the most extreme deviation from historic fire regimes.) 1: Extreme (5 or more intervals missed) 2: High (2-5 intervals missed) 3: Moderate (0-2 intervals missed) 4: Low/None (Less than 0 intervals missed) 99: Rock/Water (Nonburnable)

This dataset is essential to identifying high priority areas most in need of burn treatment to optimize the use of limited funding. Fire return interval is the average period between fires in a given area. In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, fire return interval is estimated using vegetation type. The estimation is based primarily on reconstructed fire history chronologies derived from tree-ring samples obtained from fire-scarred trees in the vicinity of the parks, or from the literature if the information for a vegetation type did not exist from within or near the park. To provide a conservative estimate, the maximum average return interval for each vegetation class is used. Fire return interval departure quantifies the difference between the expected and actual fire frequency in each vegetation type. It is calculated using the equation: (Time Since Last Fire - Fire Return Interval) / Fire Return Interval The time since last fire is derived from historic fire records or based on the last widespread fire date recorded by fire history reconstructions. The longer a time interval exceeds the historic return interval without a fire, the higher the priority rating for returning fire to this area. The priority ratings are classified according to how many return intervals have been missed. (The departure index ranges from -1 to 20 with 20 being the most extreme deviation from historic fire regimes.) 1: Extreme (5 or more intervals missed) 2: High (2-5 intervals missed) 3: Moderate (0-2 intervals missed) 4: Low/None (Less than 0 intervals missed) 99: Rock/Water (Nonburnable)

LANDFIRE's 2023 Update (LF 2023) Forest Canopy Bulk Density (CBD) describes the mass of available canopy fuel per unit canopy volume that would burn in a crown fire. A spatially explicit map of CBD supplies information used in fire behavior models to determine the spread characteristics of active crown fires across the landscape. CBD for disturbed and non-disturbed areas is determined via a general linear model (GLM) relating LF's Forest Canopy Height (CH) and Cover (CC) to CBD (Reeves et al 2009). To designate disturbed areas where CBD is modified, the aggregated Annual Disturbance products from 2014 to 2023 in the LF Fuel Disturbance (FDist) product are used. All existing disturbances between 2014-2023 are represented in LF 2023, and the products are intended to be used in 2024 (the year of release). When using any product from the LF 2023 fuel product suite, users should consider adjusting fuel layers for disturbances that occurred after the end of the 2023 fiscal year (after October 1st, 2023). Disturbances that occurred after the end of the 2023 fiscal year are not accounted for within LF 2023 fuel products. Learn more about LF 2023 at https://landfire.gov/data/lf2023.

LANDFIRE's 2023 Update (LF 2023) Forest Canopy Bulk Density (CBD) describes the mass of available canopy fuel per unit canopy volume that would burn in a crown fire. A spatially explicit map of CBD supplies information used in fire behavior models to determine the spread characteristics of active crown fires across the landscape. CBD for disturbed and non-disturbed areas is determined via a general linear model (GLM) relating LF's Forest Canopy Height (CH) and Cover (CC) to CBD (Reeves et al 2009). To designate disturbed areas where CBD is modified, the aggregated Annual Disturbance products from 2014 to 2023 in the LF Fuel Disturbance (FDist) product are used. All existing disturbances between 2014-2023 are represented in LF 2023, and the products are intended to be used in 2024 (the year of release). When using any product from the LF 2023 fuel product suite, users should consider adjusting fuel layers for disturbances that occurred after the end of the 2023 fiscal year (after October 1st, 2023). Disturbances that occurred after the end of the 2023 fiscal year are not accounted for within LF 2023 fuel products. Learn more about LF 2023 at https://landfire.gov/data/lf2023.