The Fire Regime of a park is a synoptic description of the pattern of fires characteristic of a natural region or ecosystem. That pattern includes variation in ignition, fire intensity, fire behavior, fire size, recurrence (or return) intervals, and ecological effects. Shenandoah National Park is almost entirely forested with various eastern hardwood forest types. These forest types are considered to be in what is referred to as Natural Fire Regime 1B. Natural Fire Regime 1B refers to a forest that has infrequent, low-intensity surface fires with a recurrence interval of more than 25 years. Most of these fires are usually small in area. Lightning strikes on dry, exposed ridge tops and south facing slopes are common. If moisture conditions of tree crowns or leaves and woody material on the ground are sufficiently dry, fires will be started by the lightning strikes.
Eastern hardwood forests are generally tolerant of fire and a few species are fire dependent.
Related Information
Websites that provide helpful information about fire ecology are:
National Wildfire Coordinating Group – Fire Ecology Website Index
Listing of these websites does not and is not intended to imply endorsement by the National Park Service of commercial services or products associated with the sites.
