Managing and Adapting to Changing Fire Regimes in a Warmer Climate

Abstract

Planning and management for the expected effects of climate change on natural resources are just now beginning in the western United States (U.S.), where the majority of public lands are located. Federal and state agencies have been slow to address climate change as a factor in resource production objectives, planning strategies, and on-the-ground applications. The recent assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) and other high-profile reports (e.g., GAO 2007) have increased awareness of the need to incorporate climate change into resource management.