Using one year post-fire fire severity assessments to estimate longer-term effects of fire in conifer forests of northern and eastern California, USA

•Described effects 5–7 years post fire in categories mapped with 1-year post-fire severity maps.•Relationships of field-measured values with severity generally followed expected patterns.•Dead tree basal area and shrub cover increased with increasing fire severity.•Live tree basal area, canopy cover, litter, and duff depth decreased with increasing severity.•Forest type revealed differences which can be attributed to pine versus fir dominated forests.