Quantifying the effectiveness of shaded fuel breaks from ground-based, aerial, and spaceborne observations

•Postfire char in fuel break is 2 × less than it was outside fuel break.•Percent of char declines at a rate of 2% per 3 m into the fuel break.•Burn severity is 5 × less and vegetation health is 3 × greater within the fuel break.•Postfire vegetation health was only 1 × less within, but 5 × less outside fuel break.•Fuel break reduced intensity and severity within, preserving vegetation health.