Early spectral dynamics are indicative of distinct growth patterns in post‐wildfire forests

Western North America has seen a recent dramatic increase in large and often high‐severity wildfires. After forest fire, understanding patterns of structural recovery is important, as recovery patterns impact critical ecosystem services. Continuous forest monitoring provided by satellite observations is particularly beneficial to capture the pivotal post‐fire period when forest recovery begins. However, it is challenging to optimize optical satellite imagery to both interpolate current and extrapolate future forest structure and composition. We identified a need to understand how early spectral dynamics (5 years post‐fire) inform patterns of structural recovery after fire disturbance. To create these structural patterns, we collected metrics of forest structure using high‐density Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAS) lidar (light detection and ranging). We employed a space‐for‐time substitution in the highly fire‐disturbed forests of interior British Columbia. In this region, we collected RPAS lidar and corresponding field plot data 5‐, 8‐, 11‐,12‐, and 16‐years postfire to predict structural attributes relevant to management, including the percent bare ground, the proportion of coniferous trees, stem density, and basal area. We compared forest structural attributes with unique early spectral responses, or trajectories, derived from Landsat time series data 5 years after fire. A total of eight unique spectral recovery trajectories were identified from spectral responses of seven vegetation indices (NBR, NDMI, NDVI, TCA, TCB, TCG, and TCW) that described five distinct patterns of structural recovery captured with RPAS lidar. Two structural patterns covered more than 80% of the study area. Both patterns had strong coniferous regrowth, but one had a higher basal area with more bare ground and the other pattern had a high stem density, but a low basal area and a higher deciduous proportion. Our approach highlights the ability to use early spectral responses to capture unique spectral trajectories and their associated distinct structural recovery patterns.