The influence of fire on vegetation was examined for a relatively large mountain range in southeastern Arizona.

Fire and physical environment play important roles in governing vegetation structure over time and across space. The interplay between these two forces was examined in a southeastern Arizona mountain range. In the high-elevation forests of the Chiricahua Mountains, spruce and aspen stands occupy more mesic aspects and topographic positions while mixed-pine stands are found on drier sites. Fire is a prevalent and ubiquitous force in this region. Fire history and forest structure data were collected and analyzed dendrochronologically to characterize the historical fire regime and its influence on forest dynamics. We found that landscape patterns were influenced by a complex fire regime and diverse topographic environment.