smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
This is an odd piece of info that may interest a few.
We have a lot of fire killed trees, mostly in the Western US.
Their value decreases dramatically with time.
The danger in falling them increases with time.
This data was taken from the aftermath of the 1994 fires near Wenatchee Washington. It was a big fire summer there at that time.
There are more species in this report summary, just thought I'd list this to to show how much difference can occur.
The document lists more species if anyone wants to have me e-mail them.
1994 Large-fires(5) study, Wenatchee NF
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed Douglas-firs: (average dbh 15”)
Year One: Almost no wood was affected by stain, cracks, and decay . Most trees were infested by wood borers. Wood borer holes extended into the sapwood. Woodpecker feeding was common.
Year Two: Cracks (weather checks) were common in the dead trees and almost 20% of the volume was affected. Little volume was affected by sapwood stains. Many trees had pouch fungus conks but virtually no sapwood decay. Wood borer holes were common in the sapwood. Woodpecker feeding was common.
Year Three: Almost all sapwood was stained. Slightly less than 30% of the volume
was affected by cracks. Sapwood decay was common but volume affected was small.
Year Four: Conks of the red belt fungus became more common. Much of the sapwood was decayed. Tree tops began to break.
Year Five: Most of the sapwood was decayed but heartwood was still largely sound. Stem breakage was common due to sapwood decay. Wood borers were infesting trees and woodpeckers are feeding on them.
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed grand firs: (ave. dbh 15”)
Year One: Most of the trees had cracks at one year and an average of 14% of the
volume was affected. Sapwood stain was common but volume affected was small,
Sapwood decay was small. Most trees were infested by wood borers and had been
foraged by woodpeckers. Wood borer holes extended into the sapwood, particularly at mid-bole positions. Fir engravers infested many of the fire-killed trees above scorched bark.
Year Two: All trees had cracks and 35% of the volume was affected. Pouch fungus
conks were found on many trees but wood volume decayed was small.
Year Three: More than 50% of the volume was affected by cracks. Sapwood decay
was common in the basal log. Most trees lost more than half their bark. Little wood
volume was available for salvage. Stem breakage began.
Year Four: Most sapwood in the basal log was decayed. Top and stem breakage was
common.
Year Five: All sapwood in the basal log was decayed. Top and stem breaks were common. Little wood volume was available for salvage.
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed western larch:
(ave dbh 12”)
Year One: Almost all the trees had been infested by wood borers. Wood borer holes were very common in the sapwood. Almost all trees had stain confined to the sapwood. Woodpecker foraging was common.
Year Two: All trees had been infested by wood borers and foraged on by woodpeckers. All trees had cracks and almost 40% of the volume was affected. Most of the sapwood was stained.
Year Three: Cracks affected about 55% of the volume.
Year Four: About 80% of the volume was affected by cracking.
Year Five: Almost 80% of the volume was affected by cracks. Very little volume was affected by decay. No snags had stem breaks.
We have a lot of fire killed trees, mostly in the Western US.
Their value decreases dramatically with time.
The danger in falling them increases with time.
This data was taken from the aftermath of the 1994 fires near Wenatchee Washington. It was a big fire summer there at that time.
There are more species in this report summary, just thought I'd list this to to show how much difference can occur.
The document lists more species if anyone wants to have me e-mail them.
1994 Large-fires(5) study, Wenatchee NF
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed Douglas-firs: (average dbh 15”)
Year One: Almost no wood was affected by stain, cracks, and decay . Most trees were infested by wood borers. Wood borer holes extended into the sapwood. Woodpecker feeding was common.
Year Two: Cracks (weather checks) were common in the dead trees and almost 20% of the volume was affected. Little volume was affected by sapwood stains. Many trees had pouch fungus conks but virtually no sapwood decay. Wood borer holes were common in the sapwood. Woodpecker feeding was common.
Year Three: Almost all sapwood was stained. Slightly less than 30% of the volume
was affected by cracks. Sapwood decay was common but volume affected was small.
Year Four: Conks of the red belt fungus became more common. Much of the sapwood was decayed. Tree tops began to break.
Year Five: Most of the sapwood was decayed but heartwood was still largely sound. Stem breakage was common due to sapwood decay. Wood borers were infesting trees and woodpeckers are feeding on them.
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed grand firs: (ave. dbh 15”)
Year One: Most of the trees had cracks at one year and an average of 14% of the
volume was affected. Sapwood stain was common but volume affected was small,
Sapwood decay was small. Most trees were infested by wood borers and had been
foraged by woodpeckers. Wood borer holes extended into the sapwood, particularly at mid-bole positions. Fir engravers infested many of the fire-killed trees above scorched bark.
Year Two: All trees had cracks and 35% of the volume was affected. Pouch fungus
conks were found on many trees but wood volume decayed was small.
Year Three: More than 50% of the volume was affected by cracks. Sapwood decay
was common in the basal log. Most trees lost more than half their bark. Little wood
volume was available for salvage. Stem breakage began.
Year Four: Most sapwood in the basal log was decayed. Top and stem breakage was
common.
Year Five: All sapwood in the basal log was decayed. Top and stem breaks were common. Little wood volume was available for salvage.
Yearly summary highlights of changes in fire-killed western larch:
(ave dbh 12”)
Year One: Almost all the trees had been infested by wood borers. Wood borer holes were very common in the sapwood. Almost all trees had stain confined to the sapwood. Woodpecker foraging was common.
Year Two: All trees had been infested by wood borers and foraged on by woodpeckers. All trees had cracks and almost 40% of the volume was affected. Most of the sapwood was stained.
Year Three: Cracks affected about 55% of the volume.
Year Four: About 80% of the volume was affected by cracking.
Year Five: Almost 80% of the volume was affected by cracks. Very little volume was affected by decay. No snags had stem breaks.
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