Ketcham, S. L. and J. L. Koprowski. 2013. Impacts on wildfire on wildlife in Arizona: A synthesis. In Gottfried, Gerald J.; Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gebow, Brooke S.; Eskew, Lane G.; Collins, Loa C., comps. 2013. Merging science and management in a rapidly ch

Due to a century of fire suppression practices, the Madrean Archipelago regions in Arizona have accumulated excessive fuel loads that increase wildfire sizes, intensities, and frequencies. Wildfire induced structural changes in forest ecosystems can either benefit or adversely impact wildlife species. Therefore, it is imperative to understand how wildlife species react to such ecosystem changes after wildfires in both the short-term and long-term time periods. We examined scientific literature to determine wildlife distribution, abundance, elevational migration, and behavioral changes (i.e. how wildlife use resources post-fire) in response to wildfire. Understanding the impacts of wildfire-induced habitat fragmentation and creation of edge effects on wildlife species will provide information about overall forest condition and forest management practices.