Provides information on a computerized fire effects information system. Describes the nature of information available from the system & how to access it with a computer. Includes a basic tutorial on how to navigate the several information options presented by the system. Also described is the citation retrieval system that stores & retrieves citations for the information used in the information system's species & plant ecosystem summaries & which can be searched independently by keyword. Contains information in three major categories: plant species, wildlife species, & plant communities.

The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) provides accessible, up-to-date fire effects summaries, taken from current English-language literature, for almost 900 plant species, about 100 animal species, and 16 Kuchler plant communities found on the North American continent. This fact sheet discusses the development of FEIS and what is contained in the species summary.

The Rocky Mountain Research Stations Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) team synthesizes information about wildland fires, their history in U.S. ecosystems, and their effects on U.S. wildland plants, lichens, and animals. Found at www.feis-crs.org/feis/, FEIS publications can be used for many purposes, including land use planning, restoration and rehabilitation planning, wildlife and range projects, and related environmental assessments and impact statements. While traditionally used for fire management decisions, FEIS can also be used for NEPA, restoration, and other planning needs by managers in other resource fields, including wildlife, plants, soils, hydrology, and roads. The main benefits are time savings and the unique knowledge that comes from the FEIS teams synthesis skills, as they identify patterns and inconsistencies in information and show areas where further research is needed. While FEIS is based on literature that dates back more than 100 years and its published Species Reviews go back more than 20 years, the system is especially relevant today due to the overwhelming amount of information available online as well as emerging information on fires interactions with climate change, invasive species, and other disturbances such as drought and flooding. Recent upgrades to FEIS include more powerful search functions and the addition of Fire Regime Reports and Syntheses, which provide insight and value to land managers on historical patterns of fire occurrence and current changes in fuels and fire regimes.