Predicting the Mortality of Conifers After a Wildfire

Article Written by:
Yvonne Barkley, University of Idaho Extension, Moscow, ID

 

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Predicting the mortality of conifers after a wildfire is important for post-fire planning and management. Fire resistance varies greatly with plant species and factors such as age. In general, young, fast-growing trees on good sites will be better able to withstand damage from fire than over-mature, slow-growing trees on poor sites.

Additional general statements that hold true across species are:

  • as the percent of crown scorch increases, mortality increases.

Erosion Control after a Wildfire

Erosion is probably one of the most common concerns after a wildfire. Post-fire erosion depends on many factors, but generally erosion hazard increases as slope increases and vegetative cover decreases. To be safe, assume all drainages in steep hilly areas can carry debris flows and that they are vulnerable after a wildfire.

Erosion

Erosion is a natural process. The amount of erosion after a burn depends on storm events, burn severity, slope, soil type, and the condition of the post-fire …