Geographic Considerations for Fire Management: Geomorphology, Topography, Soils, and Climate of the Eastern U.S

Across the eastern US, there is on average an estimated 36 Mg ha of dead woody fuel (Chojnacky et al. 2004). Variation in fuel type, size, and flammability across the region makes selection of treatment options critical for effective fuels management. The eastern U.S. is a complex landscape characterized by highly fragmented forests, large areas of wildland urban interface, and vast differences in geomorphology, topography, soils, and climate. For example, the coastal plain region is generally flat, has large areas of wetlands, and is derived from sedimentary parent material. By contrast, the Piedmont and Appalachian Mountain regions are derived primarily from igneous and metamorphosed igneous parent materials, have complex topography, and little or no wetlands. Thus, it is important to understand interactions among fuel management treatments and geographic regions, and matching treatment prescriptions with physical conditions is critical.