Plot-level ladder fuel estimation from a suite of remote sensing and field methods

This data publication includes data collected to evaluate the use of a suite of remote sensing approaches and field measurements to quantify plot-scale ladder fuels in oak woodlands and mixed forests in the same region and relate measurements of ladder fuels to wildfire burn severity. Remote sensing techniques included a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), a handheld-mobile laser scanner (HMLS), an unoccupied aerial system (UAS) with multispectral camera and Structure from Motion (SfM) processing (UAS-SfM), and an airborne laser scanner (ALS). Field measurements include canopy base height (CBH) and the use of a photo banner and wildfire burn severity estimated via the Relativized delta Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR). Additionally, the coordinates for plot center locations and a map of the study are included.
While fire is an important ecological process in the western United States, wildfire size and severity have increased over recent decades as a result of climate change, historical fire suppression, and lack of adequate fuels management. Due to the urgency to build ecosystem resilience and reduce risk to life and property in light of future wildfire events, land managers are implementing fuel management programs. Technology used to quantify forest ladder fuels, which bridge the gap between the surface and the canopy and lead to more severe canopy fires, can help inform management treatments to reduce future wildfire risk.
For more information about this study and these data see Forbes et al. (2022). These data were published on 12/09/2021. On 04/11/2022 the metadata was updated to include reference to newly published article.