Synthesising empirical results to improve predictions of post-wildfire runoff and erosion response
Richard A. Shakesby A D , John A. Moody B , Deborah A. Martin B and Peter R. Robichaud C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Geography, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.
B United States Geological Survey, 3215 Marine Street, Suite E-127 Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
C United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 1221 South Main Street, Moscow, ID 83843, USA.
D Corresponding author. Email: r.a.shakesby@swansea.ac.uk
International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(3) 257-261 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF16021
Published: 3 March 2016
Abstract
Advances in research into wildfire impacts on runoff and erosion have demonstrated increasing complexity of controlling factors and responses, which, combined with changing fire frequency, present challenges for modellers. We convened a conference attended by experts and practitioners in post-wildfire impacts, meteorology and related research, including modelling, to focus on priority research issues. The aim was to improve our understanding of controls and responses and the predictive capabilities of models. This conference led to the eight selected papers in this special issue. They address aspects of the distinctiveness in the controls and responses among wildfire regions, spatiotemporal rainfall variability, infiltration, runoff connectivity, debris flow formation and modelling applications. Here we summarise key findings from these papers and evaluate their contribution to improving understanding and prediction of post-wildfire runoff and erosion under changes in climate, human intervention and population pressure on wildfire-prone areas.
Additional keywords: ash, climate change, hydraulic conductivity, hydrology, overland flow, precipitation, scale.
References
Bodí MB, Martin DA, Balfour VN, Santín C, Doerr SH, Pereira P, Cerdà A, Mataix-Solera J (2014) Wildland fire ash: production, composition and ecohydrogeomorphic effects. Earth-Science Reviews 130, 103–127.| Wildland fire ash: production, composition and ecohydrogeomorphic effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chen F, Warner TT, Manning K (2001) Sensitivity of orographic moist convection to landscape variability: a study of the Buffalo Creek, Colorado, flash flood case of 1996. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences 58, 3204–3223.
| Sensitivity of orographic moist convection to landscape variability: a study of the Buffalo Creek, Colorado, flash flood case of 1996.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chen L, Berli M, Chief K (2013) Examining modelling approaches for the rainfall-runoff process in wildfire-affected watersheds: using San Dimas experimental forest. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 49, 851–866.
| Examining modelling approaches for the rainfall-runoff process in wildfire-affected watersheds: using San Dimas experimental forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doerr SH, Shakesby RA (2013) Fire and land surface. In ‘Fire phenomena and the Earth system: an interdisciplinary guide to fire science’. (Ed. CM Belcher) pp. 135–156. (Wiley-Blackwell: Chichester, UK)
Doerr SH, Shakesby RA, MacDonald L (2009) Soil water repellency: a key factor in post-fire erosion? In ‘Fire effects on soils and restoration strategies’. (Eds A Cerdà, PR Robichaud) pp. 197–224. (Science Publishers: Enfield, NH)
Dunkerley D (2012) Effects of rainfall intensity fluctuations on infiltration and runoff: rainfall simulation on dryland soils, Fowlers Gap, Australia. Hydrological Processes 26, 2211–2224.
| Effects of rainfall intensity fluctuations on infiltration and runoff: rainfall simulation on dryland soils, Fowlers Gap, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunkerley D (2015) Intra-event intermittency of rainfall: an analysis of the metrics of rain and no-rain periods. Hydrological Processes 29, 3294–3305.
| Intra-event intermittency of rainfall: an analysis of the metrics of rain and no-rain periods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gabet EJ, Sternberg P (2008) The effects of vegetative ash on infiltration capacity, sediment transport, and the generation of progressively bulked debris flows. Geomorphology 101, 666–673.
| The effects of vegetative ash on infiltration capacity, sediment transport, and the generation of progressively bulked debris flows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Huff FA (1967) The distribution of rainfall in heavy storms. Water Resources Research 3, 1007–1019.
| The distribution of rainfall in heavy storms.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johansen MP, Hakonson TE, Whicker FW (2003) Pulsed redistribution of a contaminant following forest fire: cesium-137 in runoff. Journal of Environmental Quality 32, 2150–2157.
Jones OD, Nyman P, Sheridan GJ (2014) Modelling the effects of fire and rainfall regimes on extreme erosion events in forested landscapes. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment 28, 2015–2025.
| Modelling the effects of fire and rainfall regimes on extreme erosion events in forested landscapes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jordan P (2016) Post-wildfire debris flows in southern British Columbia, Canada. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25,
| Post-wildfire debris flows in southern British Columbia, Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Larsen IJ, MacDonald LH, Brown E, Rough D, Welsh MJ, Pietraszek JH, Libohova Z, Benavides-Solorio JDD, Schaffrath K (2009) Causes of post-fire runoff and erosion: water repellency, cover, or soil sealing? Soil Science Society of America Journal 73, 1393–1407.
| Causes of post-fire runoff and erosion: water repellency, cover, or soil sealing?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos1Ggtr8%3D&md5=bc9fbcaefe469127889be8034917ebd1CAS |
Miller ME, MacDonald LH, Robichaud PR, Elliot WJ (2011) Predicting post-fire hillslope erosion in forest lands of the western United States. International Journal of Wildland Fire 20, 982–999.
| Predicting post-fire hillslope erosion in forest lands of the western United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moody JA, Shakesby RA, Cannon SA, Robichaud PR, Martin DA (2013) Research gaps in post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes: review and future research directions. Earth-Science Reviews 122, 10–37.
| Research gaps in post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes: review and future research directions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moody JA, Ebel P, Nyman P, Martin DA, Stoof C, McKinley R (2016) Relations between soil hydraulic properties and burn severity. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 279–293.
| Relations between soil hydraulic properties and burn severity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moussoulis E, Mallinis G, Koutsias N, Zacharius I (2015) Modelling surface runoff to evaluate the effects of wildfires in multiple semi-arid, shrubland-dominated catchments. Hydrological Processes 29, 4427–4441.
| Modelling surface runoff to evaluate the effects of wildfires in multiple semi-arid, shrubland-dominated catchments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Notario del Pino JS, Ruiz-Gallardo JR (2015) Modelling post-fire soil erosion hazard using ordinal logistic regression: a case study in south-eastern Spain. Geomorphology 232, 117–124.
| Modelling post-fire soil erosion hazard using ordinal logistic regression: a case study in south-eastern Spain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nyman P, Smith HG, Sherwin CB, Langhans C, Lane PNJ, Sheridan GJ (2015) Predicting sediment delivery from debris flows after wildfire. Geomorphology 250, 173–186.
| Predicting sediment delivery from debris flows after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Owens PN, Blake WH, Giles TR, Williams ND (2012) Determining the effects of wildfire on sediment sources using Cs-137 and unsupported Pb-210: the role of landscape disturbances and driving forces. Journal of Soils and Sediments 12, 982–994.
| Determining the effects of wildfire on sediment sources using Cs-137 and unsupported Pb-210: the role of landscape disturbances and driving forces.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XmvFent7Y%3D&md5=5e804e9d398814160c4034267bffc92dCAS |
Parsons A, Robichaud PR, Lewis SA, Napper C, Clark JT (2010) Field guide for mapping post-fire soil burn severity. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-243. (Fort Collins, CO)
Robichaud PR, Elliot W, Lewis S, Miller ME (2016) Validation of a probabilistic post-fire erosion model. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 337–350.
| Validation of a probabilistic post-fire erosion model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rulli MC, Offeddu L, Santini M (2013) Modeling post-fire water erosion mitigation strategies. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 17, 2323–2337.
| Modeling post-fire water erosion mitigation strategies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Santín C, Doerr SH, Shakesby RA, Bryant R, Sheridan GJ, Lane PNJ, Smith HG (2012) Carbon loads, forms and sequestration potential within ash deposits from forest fires: new insights from the 2009 ‘Black Saturday’ fires, Australia. European Journal of Forest Research 131, 1245–1253.
| Carbon loads, forms and sequestration potential within ash deposits from forest fires: new insights from the 2009 ‘Black Saturday’ fires, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shakesby RA (2011) Post-wildfire soil erosion in the Mediterranean: review and future research directions. Earth-Science Reviews 105, 71–100.
| Post-wildfire soil erosion in the Mediterranean: review and future research directions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shakesby RA, Doerr SH (2006) Wildfire as a hydrological and geomorphological agent. Earth-Science Reviews 74, 269–307.
| Wildfire as a hydrological and geomorphological agent.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shakesby RA, Wallbrink PJ, Doerr SH, English PM, Chafer CJ, Humphreys GS, Blake WH, Tomkins KM (2007) Distinctiveness of wildfire effects on soil erosion in south-east Australian eucalypt forests assessed in a global context. Forest Ecology and Management 238, 347–364.
| Distinctiveness of wildfire effects on soil erosion in south-east Australian eucalypt forests assessed in a global context.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sheridan GJ, Nyman P, Langhans C, Cawson J, Noske PJ, Oono A, Van der Sant R, Lane PNJ (2016) Is aridity a high-order control on the hydro–geomorphic response of burned landscapes? International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 262–267.
| Is aridity a high-order control on the hydro–geomorphic response of burned landscapes?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sidman G, Guertin DP, Goodrich DC, Unkrich CL, Burns IS (2016a) Risk assessment of post-wildfire hydrological response in semiarid basins: the effects of varying rainfall representations in the KINEROS2/AGWA model. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 268–278.
| Risk assessment of post-wildfire hydrological response in semiarid basins: the effects of varying rainfall representations in the KINEROS2/AGWA model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sidman G, Guertin DP, Goodrich DC, Thoma D, Falk D, Burns IS (2016b) A coupled modelling approach to assess the effect of fuel treatments on post-wildfire runoff and erosion. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 351–362.
| A coupled modelling approach to assess the effect of fuel treatments on post-wildfire runoff and erosion.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stoof CR, Gevaert AI, Baver C, Hassanpour B, Morales VL, Zhang W, Martin D, Giri SK, Steenhuis TS (2016) Can pore-clogging by ash explain post-fire runoff? International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 294–305.
| Can pore-clogging by ash explain post-fire runoff?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tryhorn L, Lynh A, Abramson R, Parkyn K (2008) On the meteorological mechanism during post-fire flash floods: a case study. Monthly Weather Review 136, 1778–1791.
| On the meteorological mechanism during post-fire flash floods: a case study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williams CJ, Pierson FB, Robichaud PR, Al-Hamdan OZ, Boll J, Strand EK (2016) Structural and functional connectivity as a driver of hillslope erosion following disturbance. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 306–321.
| Structural and functional connectivity as a driver of hillslope erosion following disturbance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
