 The study presents a methodology for selecting the optimal burn severity index from a suite of calculation and validation options to produce data for more rigorously comparing ecological effects of fire that occur in contrasting phenologies, demonstrating the utility of the approach and providing evidence for the use of CBI as a field-based index over WCBI. This article was authored by Michael Agalaga, Nicholas S. Skowronski, Richard G. Lathrop, and others.