Predicting wildfire impacts on the prehistoric archaeological record of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA

Friggens, Megan M.; Loehman, Rachel A.; Constan, Connie I.; Kneifel, Rebekah R.

doi:10.1186/s42408-021-00103-6

Fire Ecology

Table 1 Continuous variables used to predict observed, artifact- and feature-level fire effects (fire effect) and burn severity class for archaeological sites in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA, from 2000 to 2011. Ranges were calculated as mean values for 10 m buffers around 858 recorded point locations of archaeological sites. Climate variables were summarized for the month of fire, fire season (here considered May through September), winter preceding the fire year (December through February), or year of fire, as indicated. Variable definitions are provided in italics. Variable units are specified where present; otherwise, values are indices or dimensionless

From: Predicting wildfire impacts on the prehistoric archaeological record of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA

Variable name	Range
Canopy bulk density (CBD)	0 to 45 kg m^{−3 × 100}
Measure of density of canopy fuel; higher values = denser fuel	0 to 45 kg m^{−3 × 100}
Palmer Drought Severity Index, Fire Season (PDSIfs)	−5.5 to −0.6
Regional drought measure; more negative values = drier conditions	−5.5 to −0.6
Palmer Drought Severity Index, Fire Month (PDSImo)	−5.3 to −1
Regional drought measure; more negative values = drier conditions	−5.3 to −1
Energy Release Component, Fire Season (ERCfs)	50.5 to 77.7
Composite fuel moisture index; higher values = drier fuels	50.5 to 77.7
Energy Release Component, Fire Month (ERCmo)	44.9 to 103.3
Composite fuel moisture index; higher values = drier fuels	44.9 to 103.3
Burning Index, Fire Season (BIfs)	34.7 to 59
Seasonal profile of fire danger and fire behavior; higher values = more extreme fire danger	34.7 to 59
Burning Index, Fire Month (BImo)	27 to 103.7
Seasonal profile of fire danger and fire behavior; higher values = more extreme fire danger	27 to 103.7
Departure from 30-year normal mean minimum temperature, Fire Season (TMINfs)	0.99 to 1.45 °C
Degrees cooler or warmer than 30-year normal	0.99 to 1.45 °C
Departure from 30-year normal mean minimum temperature, Annual (TMINan)	0.29 to 2.86 °C
Degrees cooler or warmer than 30-year normal	0.29 to 2.86 °C
Departure from 30-year normal maximum temperature, Fire Season (TMAXfs)	0.97 to 1.19 °C
Degrees cooler or warmer than 30-year normal	0.97 to 1.19 °C
Departure from 30-year normal mean maximum temperature, Annual (TMAXan)	−1.29 to 2.62 °C
Degrees cooler or warmer than 30-year normal	−1.29 to 2.62 °C
Percent of 30-year normal total precipitation, Annual (PRCPan)	32 to 135%
Values above 100% = wetter than 30-year normal	32 to 135%
Percent of 30-year normal total precipitation, Winter (DJF) (PRCPwin)	63 to 98%
Values above 100% = wetter than 30-year normal	63 to 98%
Percent of 30-year normal total precipitation, Fire Month (PRCPmo)	0 to 103%
Values above 100% = wetter than 30-year normal	0 to 103%
Compound Topographic Index (CTI)	3.89 to 16.21
Soil wetness index; higher values = greater soil moisture accumulation	3.89 to 16.21
Heat Load Index (HLI)	0.34 to 1.11
Measure of incident surface radiation; higher values = warmer, southwest facing slopes	0.34 to 1.11
Linear Aspect (Aspect_Lin)	1.0 to 358.0
Circular to linear transformation	1.0 to 358.0
Slope-Cosine-Aspect Index (Aspect_Cos)	–0.9 to 1.00
Solar irradiance effects on fuel moisture and fire behavior; more negative values are warmer (southern aspect) or flat areas and positive values are cooler (northern aspect) or steep slopes	–0.9 to 1.00
Elevation	1705 to 2838 m
Slope	0.45 to 158.5%

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