California prescribed fire monitoring program: 2019–2024

The California Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program dataset (2019-2024) provides comprehensive ecological monitoring data from prescribed fire treatments across California's diverse forest ecosystems. This dataset encompasses forest structure and cover, fuel loads, and post-fire recovery metrics, collected using a standardized protocol, from over 36 disparate sites (114 burn units, 972 plots, and 1,838 total surveys). Data collected during pre-fire, immediate and multi-year post-fire sampling episodes allow for robust analysis of prescribed fire effects across variable environmental conditions. The monitoring framework captures key ecological indicators, including tree mortality, fuel consumption, understory vegetation response, species composition, and regeneration. This dataset can address critical knowledge gaps regarding prescribed fire effectiveness for ecological restoration, hazardous fuel reduction, and ecosystem resilience objectives. These data can support evidence-based fire ma..., , # California prescribed fire monitoring program: 2019–2024

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.612jm64gw](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.612jm64gw)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Study Overview:**

The California Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program (CPFMP) was established to monitor the ecological effects of prescribed fire across diverse California ecosystems. The program collects comprehensive data on vegetation, fuels, and forest structure before and after prescribed burns to inform fire management and ecological restoration.

**Study Design:**

* 36 sites across California
* 114 burn units
* 972 monitoring plots
* 1,838 total surveys conducted
* Repeated measurements: pre-fire, immediate post-fire, and up to 8 years post-fire

**Key Features:**

* Long-term monitoring (2019-2024, with historical Caples data 2013-2018)
* Standardized protocols across all sites
* Multiple vegetation and fuel measurements
* Individual tree tracking with permanent tags
* Comprehensive species ..., , **Changes after Nov 27, 2025:** 

The following changes were made due to scientific data journal reviewers' suggestions:

* plotd_csv. Cell BB2 text revised: \"All plots in the Bear Mountain site were affected by the Rim Fire (2013), experiencing low to moderate severity fire effects.\"
* trees-csv. Column bolechar_m: we revised 39 cells where the value for bolechar was higher than the tree height, and changed bole char value to the tree height.
* CPFMP_Protocol.pdf, page 3, table 1, to read \"significant proportion (75-90%) of overstory killed\" as suggested.