Forest thinning has been proposed to reduce fire severity. However, evidence to support this strategy in Australia is scant. We completed a detailed empirical analysis of stand history data from forests burned in wildfires in 2009 in south‐eastern Australia, to address the question: Does forest thinning reduce fire severity? The answer varied depending on fire type (Crown Burn vs. Crown Burn/Crown Scorch), forest type, and stand age. For the statistical relationship for Crown Burn, there were no thinning effects in ash‐type forests. For mixed species forests, thinning reduced the probability of Crown Burn in young stands but increased it in older stands. Data for the fire severity category of Crown Burn/Crown Scorch revealed that thinning generally elevated fire severity, irrespective of stand age, forest type, or fire zone. Except for 20‐ to 40‐year‐old mixed species forest subject to Crown Burn, proposals for thinning to reduce fire severity have limited support.

中文翻译：

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森林砍伐会降低澳大利亚桉树林的火势吗？

已经提出森林砍伐以减少火灾的严重性。但是，在澳大利亚支持这一策略的证据很少。我们完成了对澳大利亚东南部2009年野火烧森林的林分历史数据的详细实证分析，以解决以下问题：森林间伐是否能降低火灾严重性？答案因火灾类型（皇冠烧与皇冠烧/皇冠焦烧），森林类型和林分年龄而异。对于Crown Burn的统计关系，在灰烬型森林中没有间伐效应。对于混交林，间伐减少减少了幼林中冠烧的可能性，但增加了老林中冠烧的可能性。Crown Burn / Crown Scorch火灾严重性类别的数据显示，稀疏通常会提高火灾严重性，而与林分年龄，森林类型或火区无关。除了受冠冕烧伤的20至40岁的混交林外，为减少火灾严重性而进行间伐的建议所获得的支持有限。