Problem:

Many US forests, especially those that historically burned at short-intervals, are too dense and/or have excessive quantities of fuels. Widespread treatments are needed to restore ecological integrity and reduce the high risk of uncharacteristically severe and destructive wildfires in these forests. Among possible treatments, however, the appropriate balance among cutting, mechanical fuel treatment and prescribed fire is often unclear. For improved decision making, resource managers need much better information on the consequences of alternative management practices involving fire and mechanical, i.e. fire surrogate treatments.