Table 1 Metrics to quantify realized (i.e., actual) and potential effectiveness of stand and landscape fuel treatments. Attributes of interest are dictated by preidentified objectives, desired conditions, and landscape boundaries; not all attributes will be pertinent for every evaluation. Hazard state attributes describe the fuel conditions based on actual vegetation and fuels and the subjective prediction of potential fire behavior and effects (i.e., severity) based on the best-available modeled output. Realized fuel treatment effectiveness is based on actual fire behavior and effect attributes and can be compared against no-treatment and alternative treatment outcomes
Evaluation of hazard | Stand attributes | Landscape attributes |
|---|---|---|
Hazard state | Data-derived, actual: | Â |
 Surface fuel load  Canopy base height  Canopy bulk density  Fire-resistant trees and species | Fire return interval departure distribution Structural stage/age class distribution Fire regime condition class (% of classes) Treatment extent (% treated) | |
Modeled output, potential: | Â | |
 Fire behavior fuel model  Potential flame length  Potential rate of spread  Potential fire typea  Potential severity | Potential flame length distribution Potential fire typea distribution Potential severity distribution | |
Evaluation of fuel treatment effectiveness | Stand attributes | Landscape attributes |
 Environmental and ecological indicators | Fire severity Fire size Strategic point protection ability Fire progression/rate of spread | Total area burned Extent burned (%) Characteristic fire severity (% of trees killed) Characteristic patch size (%) |
 Social values | Fire suppression opportunities Suppression costs Individual homes | Structures lost Evacuations (# days and people) Suppression costs Smoke production Smoke exposure |