NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology archives fire history data derived from tree ring analysis for a site in Washington, United States. The dataset reconstructs fire events over a period from 312 to -49 calendar years before present (BP). It was published by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and last updated in 1999.
Use Cases
- Analyze fire_event_year and fire_interval to model historical fire frequency and return intervals.
- Correlate fire_occurrence with regional climate proxy data to assess climate drivers of past wildfires.
- Reconstruct site-specific fire_history timelines for comparison with other paleoecological records.
- Use tree_ring_parameters to date fire scars and establish a master chronology of disturbance events.
Strengths
- Covers a 361-year time period for fire history reconstruction.
- Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- Temporal coverage ends at -49 BP, providing no data for the most recent ~50 years.
- Data is from a single geographic location (South Deep Aspect Polygon 11a), limiting regional generalizability.
- The dataset was last updated in 1999, potentially lacking modern methodological revisions.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Fire history reconstruction via tree ring analysis (dendrochronology).
- Time Range
- 312 to -49 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Washington, United States Of America (specific site: South Deep Aspect Polygon 11a).