Across almost all biomes, fire season has lengthened for 25% of the Earth's vegetated surface and the burnable area has doubled since 1979 (Jolly et al 2015). However, fire-adapted ecosystems may be vulnerable to climate-driven alterations to fire regimes that are an emerging threat in recent decades, with observations of increasing fire size, frequency, and severity (Flannigan et al 2009, Pechony and Shindall 2010, Bowman et al 2014, Brando et al 2014, Fairman et al 2016, Seidl et al 2016, Liang et al 2017b). In fire-adapted and fire-dependent ecosystems, fire controls tree density and species dominance (Bond et al 2005), creating habitat that supports diverse plant and animal species that cannot persist in the absence of fire. Millions of forested hectares burn annually, causing both positive and negative impacts on carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, hydrologic processes, and economic and social services (Bowman et al 2009). Advances in both empirical and process fire-induced tree modeling will allow creation of hybrid models that could advance understanding of how fire injures and kills trees, while improving prediction accuracy of fire-driven feedbacks on ecosystems and landscapes, particularly under novel future conditions. We suggest a two-pronged approach to future research: (1) continued improvements and evaluations of empirical models to quantify uncertainty and incorporate new regions and species and (2) acceleration of basic, physiological research on the proximate and ultimate causes of fire-induced tree mortality to incorporate processes of tree death into models. We review the current understanding of the mechanisms of fire-induced tree mortality, provide recommended standardized terminology, describe model applications and limitations, and conclude with key knowledge gaps and future directions for research.

18 1291–7), which was developed from a limited number of species, stretching model assumptions beyond intended limits.

Virtually all post-fire tree mortality prediction systems are based on the same underlying empirical model described in Ryan and Reinhardt (1988 Can. The underlying mechanisms of fire-caused tree mortality remain poorly understood, however, limiting the ability to accurately predict mortality and develop robust modeling applications, especially under novel future climates. Each year wildland fires kill and injure trees on millions of forested hectares globally, affecting plant and animal biodiversity, carbon storage, hydrologic processes, and ecosystem services.

Fueling Her Fire by Piper Trace