Fire History Reconstruction from Baisan Tree Rings at Capilla Peak

NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology archives fire history data derived from tree ring analysis at the Capilla Peak Campground site in New Mexico. The dataset provides a temporal record of fire events spanning from 350 to -42 calendar years before present (BP). It is maintained by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and was last updated in 1992.

Use Cases

• Analyze fire frequency and return intervals using dated fire scar events from tree rings.
• Correlate fire history events with regional climate proxies to study climate-fire relationships.
• Reconstruct historical fire regimes for the Baisan species at Capilla Peak to inform forest management.
• Validate or calibrate regional paleoclimate models using the precisely dated fire chronology.

Strengths

• Temporal coverage spans 392 calendar years (350 to -42 BP).
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Dataset is temporally stale, with a last recorded update in 1992.
• Geographic scope is limited to a single site (Capilla Peak, New Mexico).
• Specific row count, column names, and sample sizes are unknown.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) to identify and date fire scar events.

Time Range

350 to -42 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Capilla Peak Campground, New Mexico, United States of America.