PNNL

Abstract

Wildfires are increasingly altering watershed hydrology and water quality, with impacts that can persist long after fire events and extend far downstream of burned areas. This editorial introduces the Special Topic, “Post-Fire Impacts on Watershed Water Quality and Hydrology,” which brings together studies examining how wildfire disturbances influence aquatic systems through changes in runoff, erosion, sediment delivery, carbon mobilization, nutrient export, metal transport, ecosystem productivity, and contaminant pathways. The contributions span estuarine, montane stream, community water-supply, and large river-network settings, highlighting both acute post-fire responses and longer-term recovery dynamics. They also emphasize the importance of high-frequency monitoring, rapid-response research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and improved predictive frameworks. Collectively, this Special Topic advances understanding of post-fire watershed processes and identifies key research needs for mitigating water-quality and hydrologic risks under evolving wildfire and environmental conditions.