Research conducted by the Rocky Mountain Research Station shows forest treatment methods greatly reduce the severity of subsequent wildfires.
The 2024 study highlighted how mechanical thinning along with controlled or prescribed burning result in a reduction of severity from 62 to 72 percent compared to areas that received no treatments. It also showed that thinning alone, without prescribed fire, was less effective.
Researchers also determined the effectiveness of treatments declined over time, “with the mean reduction in wildfire severity decreasing more than twofold when wildfire occurred greater than 10 years after initial treatment,” according to the study.
The findings agree with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s longtime advocacy of science-based active forest management. RMEF maintains that such actions, including those like invasive weed treatments, not only benefit forest health but also enhance or improve habitat for elk, mule deer and other fish and wildlife species.
(Photo source: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)