Ecosystems have evolved along with wildfire and are adapted to recover following wildfire, though the trajectory of the recovery depends on the severity and intensity of the fire, pre-existing vegetation, and conditions following fire. Both natural ecological recovery and guided restoration are long-term processes, unfolding over years or decades. In terms of carbon storage, recovery means that an ecosystem has an adequate population of desirable vegetation regenerating and surviving.
Immediate action may be needed to address infrastructure repairs, post-fire flooding mitigation, and erosion control. Burned Area Emergency Response and Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation (BAER/ESR) are programs which prioritize such emergency actions.
Rehabilitation and restoration actions might also be implemented to aid long-term ecosystem recovery. This may include reestablishing native species through seeding, treating noxious weeds, and planting trees. Costs of guided rehabilitation and restoration are typically high, and large-scale actions may not be practical. However, ecological principles exist to prioritize treatments, guide post-fire management, and best position the landscape for long-term recovery, which can be cost-effective over time.
