Good Fire Improves Forest Health
Before and after photos from our first broadcast burn reveal impressive results
Bear Creek Natural Area is a 3,900-acre dry mixed-conifer forest and oak-pine woodland near the upper reaches of the Klickitat River that provides valuable habitat for wildlife, connects neighboring Tribal and state lands, and protects important migration routes. One year has passed since Columbia Land Trust completed its first broadcast burn at a 47-acre site within the larger Bear Creek unit.
This burn was completed in Fall 2023 as part of Columbia Gorge TREX, an experiential prescribed fire training program that boosts local capacity for beneficial burning by providing hands-on learning to land management organizations. Completing this burn marked a major milestone for the Land Trust after years of working to thoughtfully incorporate prescribed fire as a stewardship tool to benefit the long-term health and resilience of the lands we manage.
Photos taken before and one year after show how the burn reduced fire fuel loads like dried pine needles and down woody debris, and how it is helping improve overall forest health.
“The grass is literally greener,” said Land Steward Helen Gavrilov. “Our native pinegrass is more abundant, flowering profusely, and stayed fresh and green throughout the entire summer and into fall.”
If you were to stand at the same spot within the site before and after, you would notice how much farther into the forest you could see after the burn. This is partially because the number of young tree saplings has decreased, meaning fewer trees will now compete for resources. Fire-resilient ponderosa pines will benefit from these results since they are adapted to more open and patchy forest conditions that have historically allowed them to grow old and large.
The abundance and average height of woody, understory shrubs has also decreased. These shrubs act as “ladder fuels” during wildfires, allowing fire to reach the forest canopy more easily and increasing wildfire intensity. Historically, frequent and low severity fire would have maintained much more open savanna-like conditions dominated by grasses and wildflowers.
In addition, lower limbs on several trees have been scorched or burned, effectively raising tree crown heights and further reducing the risk of devastating crown fires. Dwarf mistletoe, a parasitic plant that slows growth and can kill trees over time, has been scorched on some trees.
The results from this burn demonstrate the importance of restoring beneficial fire to our fire-adapted forests and will promote resilience to climate, drought, forest pathogens, and future wildfires.
“The Land Trust would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Columbia Gorge TREX and all its participants for providing the personnel, expertise, and equipment necessary to conduct a broadcast burn of this magnitude,” said Natural Area Manager Adam Lieberg.
This fall, Columbia Land Trust successfully completed another prescribed burn at our neighboring Bowman Creek Natural Area as part of Columbia Gorge TREX. We look forward to sharing results from this burn and using findings to inform our future use of prescribed fire.