The influence of pre-fire growth patterns on post-fire tree mortality for common conifers in western US parks

Fire severity in forests is often defined in terms of post-fire tree mortality, yet the influences on tree mortality following fire are not fully understood. Pre-fire growth may serve as an index of vigour, indicating resource availability and the capacity to recover from injury and defend against pests. For trees that are not killed immediately by severe fire injury, tree growth patterns could therefore partially predict post-fire mortality...