doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2026.123568engPérez-Cabello, FernandoSerrano-Notivoli, RobertoMontorio, RaquelIranzo, CristianThe climate-fire nexus: Understanding post-fire vegetation recoveryART-2026-147919In Mediterranean ecosystems, high-frequency hydroclimatic variability, along with shifts in the fire regime, are key drivers of forest degradation. In this context, understanding post-fire vegetation recovery is crucial for both ecological research and forest management standpoint. Satellite-based remote sensing, particularly through orbital platforms, provides a robust framework for tracking post-fire vegetation dynamics. We assessed recovery patterns across 30 fire-affected areas in Aragón (northeastern Spain) by analyzing temporal trends in the Leaf Area Index (LAI), a widely used proxy for canopy structure, primary productivity, and vegetation health. Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs), we modeled LAI trajectories as a function of fire severity, dominant plant regenerative traits, and post-fire climatic conditions (drought or wet periods), including fire location as a random effect to account for spatial heterogeneity among burn sites. The models showed strong predictive capacity (R² ≈ 0.80), and the inclusion of random effects substantially improved model fit, underscoring the importance of site-specific factors in shaping recovery dynamics. Fire severity and post-fire moisture availability—particularly during the first years—were the most influential drivers of LAI regeneration. The regeneration mechanism of dominant vegetation also contributed to early post-fire recovery, although its influence diminished over time. From a forest management perspective, these findings can inform the design of post-fire recovery strategies based on different post-fire moisture and severity conditions.2026http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/16845910.1016/j.foreco.2026.123568http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168459oai:zaguan.unizar.es:168459info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S74-23Rinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCIN-AEI/PID2020-118886RB-I00-AEI-10.13039-501100011033info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/RYC2021-034330-IForest Ecology and Management 606 (2026), 123568 [13 pp.]byhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess