Active forest management operations, such as regeneration harvests, can reduce hazardous fuel loads and alter fuel structure, potentially minimizing extreme wildfire conditions while maintaining ecosystem services, such as wildlife habitat and water quality. Regeneration harvests of differing intensities (clearcut, high-retention shelterwood, and low-retention shelterwood) were first applied between 1995 and 1996 to three sites on the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in the Ridge and Valley Province of Virginia, USA. Over two decades after the clearcut was conducted and 11–12 years after the overwood was removed in the shelterwood stands, woody debris, litter, and duff masses and depths were quantified. One-hour fuel loads were greater in clearcut units than in high-retention shelterwood, low-retention shelterwood, or control units. Ten-hour fuel loads were greater in clearcut and low-retention shelterwood units than in high-retention shelterwood and control units. No significant differences in 100-hour fuels were observed between treatments. Control units contained more rotten and total 1000-hour fuels than all other treatments. The total woody debris load was less in the clearcut and high-retention shelterwood than in the low-retention shelterwood and control. High-retention shelterwood woody fuel depth was greater than clearcut woody fuel depth. Litter and duff loads were less in treated units than in the control units. Total fuel load (woody fuel load + litter load + duff load) was greater in the control than the silvicultural treatments. Litter depth did not differ between treatments, while duff depth was greater in the control than in the treated units. Using the computer modeling software, BehavePlus 6.0.0, these alterations to fuel loads and depths led to increased values in the control units for six fire behavior parameters. Predicted surface flame length in the low-retention shelterwood was the only modeled value that was not less than control values. Overall, these results indicated that harvest intensity and timing may have long-term effects on down and dead woody fuels, forest floor depth, and potential fire behavior. Clearcutting reduced fire behavior most, followed by the high-retention shelterwood system. The potential differences in slash and debris generated by varying shelterwood systems may impact long-term fuel and fire dynamics.

积极的森林管理活动，例如再生采伐，可以减少危险燃料负荷并改变燃料结构，有可能最大限度地减少极端野火条件，同时保持生态系统服务，例如野生动物栖息地和水质。1995 年至 1996 年间，美国弗吉尼亚州山脊谷省乔治华盛顿-杰斐逊国家森林公园的三个地点首次采用了不同强度的再生采伐（砍伐、高保留率和低保留率的庇护木）。在进行明伐后的 20 多年里，以及在防护林林分中的覆盖木被移除后的 11-12 年，木质碎片、枯枝落叶和碎屑质量和深度被量化。与高保留率的棚材、低保留率的棚材或控制单元相比，伐木单位的一小时燃料负荷更大。10 小时燃料负荷在砍伐和低保留率的庇护木单元中比在高保留率的庇护木和控制单元中更大。在处理之间未观察到 100 小时燃料的显着差异。与所有其他处理相比，控制单元包含更多的腐烂燃料和总计 1000 小时的燃料。与低保留率的庇护木和对照相比，在全砍伐和高保留率的庇护木中的总木质碎片负载量要少。高保留率的遮光木木质燃料深度大于清除木本燃料深度。处理单位的垃圾和垃圾负荷低于对照单位。对照中的总燃料负荷（木质燃料负荷 + 枯枝落叶负荷 + duff 负荷）大于造林处理。处理之间的凋落物深度没有差异，而控制组的落叶深度大于处理组。使用计算机建模软件 BehavePlus 6.0.0，燃料负荷和深度的这些改变导致控制单元中六个火灾行为参数的值增加。低滞留防护木中的预测表面火焰长度是唯一不小于对照值的模拟值。总体而言，这些结果表明收获强度和时间可能对羽绒和死木燃料、森林地表深度和潜在的火灾行为产生长期影响。清除对火灾行为的影响最大，其次是高保留率的遮光木系统。不同防护木系统产生的斜线和碎片的潜在差异可能会影响长期的燃料和火灾动态。这些燃料负荷和深度的改变导致控制单元中六个火灾行为参数的值增加。低滞留防护木中的预测表面火焰长度是唯一不小于对照值的模拟值。总体而言，这些结果表明收获强度和时间可能对羽绒和死木燃料、森林地表深度和潜在的火灾行为产生长期影响。清除对火灾行为的影响最大，其次是高保留率的遮光木系统。不同防护木系统产生的斜线和碎片的潜在差异可能会影响长期的燃料和火灾动态。这些燃料负荷和深度的改变导致控制单元中六个火灾行为参数的值增加。低滞留防护木中的预测表面火焰长度是唯一不小于对照值的模拟值。总体而言，这些结果表明收获强度和时间可能对羽绒和死木燃料、森林地表深度和潜在的火灾行为产生长期影响。清除对火灾行为的影响最大，其次是高保留率的遮光木系统。不同防护木系统产生的斜线和碎片的潜在差异可能会影响长期的燃料和火灾动态。这些结果表明，收获强度和时间可能对羽绒和枯死的木质燃料、森林地表深度和潜在的火灾行为产生长期影响。清除对火灾行为的影响最大，其次是高保留率的遮光木系统。不同防护木系统产生的斜线和碎片的潜在差异可能会影响长期的燃料和火灾动态。这些结果表明，收获强度和时间可能对羽绒和枯死的木质燃料、森林地表深度和潜在的火灾行为产生长期影响。清除对火灾行为的影响最大，其次是高保留率的遮光木系统。不同防护木系统产生的斜线和碎片的潜在差异可能会影响长期的燃料和火灾动态。