Do forest fuel reduction treatments confer resistance to beetle infestation and drought mortality?

Climate change is amplifying the frequency and severity of droughts wildfires in many forests. In western United States, fuel reduction treatments, both mechanical prescribed fire, are widely used to increase resilience wildfire but their effect on resistance drought beetle mortality not as well understood. We followed more than 10,000 mapped tagged trees a mixed-conifer forest following thinning and/or burning treatments 2001 through extreme 2012–2016 California. Mortality varied by tree species from 3% incense-cedar 38% red fir with proportionally higher rates larger size classes for sugar pine, fir, white fir. Treatment reductions stem density were associated increased diameter growth rapidly growing had lower mortality. However, ultimate effects treatment drought-related greatly type. All neutral reduced alone, that included infestation pine. Fuel appear benefit some such Jeffrey can reduce outbreaks other when include burning. non-analog future, may require modification provide severe droughts.