Publication Date
Fall 2026
College
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Department
Mathematics & Data Science
Document Type
Poster
Description
Forest ecosystems support biodiversity, stabilize soils, and regulate water but face increasing threats from wildfire and drought under climate change. Six Rivers National Forest in Humboldt County, California, is vulnerable due to dense biomass, dry summers, and dominant species like coastal redwood, Douglas fir, and tanoak. This study combines CAL FIRE wildfire records (1950-2025) with remote sensing (2014-2024) to assess wildfire-forest loss relationships. Hansen Global Forest Change and MODIS data, along with NDVI and PDSI, show strong overlap between wildfire and forest loss, with rising lightning-caused ignitions after 2000, suggesting climate-driven fire dynamics.