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<br />Vegetative Recovery after Wildfire <br /> <br />Page 3 of 9 <br /> <br />e <br /> <br /> <br />in <br />trees. <br />Buds begin forming at the end of spring to provide tissues for next year's growth. <br /> <br />The foliage (needles) of a conifer provides some protection to the buds. Longer needles <br />provide more protection than short ones. When the fire occurs can impact the <br />development and survival of the buds. New buds may not have formed prior to an early <br />summer fire, which reduces its survival. <br /> <br />The amount of scorched foliage in the tree crown can predict conifer survival to a certain <br />degree. Even with severe scorch damage, the buds may survive and grow the following <br />spring. Basing survival estimates on scorch alone can be misleading; foliage color after a <br />fire can be deceptive, Buds should be carefully examined - they should be firm and the <br />terminal stem flexible. The bud or stern should not break off easily. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Roots <br /> <br />e <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Damage to roots depends, in part, on the <br />nature and overall depth of the root <br />system in the soil profile. The amount <br />and depth of the duff layer (needles, <br />leaves, and other recognizable litter on <br />the forest floor) can impact a fire's effect <br />and damage to the root system. Fast <br />moving fires may not destroy the duff <br />layer and may cause little root damage. <br />(Figure 2.) <br /> <br />Ponderosa Pine and <br />Douglas-fir <br /> <br />The degree of damage to ,roots, sterns, and the crown <br />determines whether treeswill survive a fire. Bark <br />thickness plays an important role in the survival of these <br />trees. As a ponderosa pine matures, it develops a very <br />thick bark that insulates the cambium from damaging <br />heat. Even if the bark is considerably scorched, the <br /> <br />http://www.exLcoJostale.edu/PUBS/NATRES/06307.html <br /> <br />8/13/02 <br />