FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Arbutus arizonica | Arizona Madrone 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
No information was found in the literature on the effects of fire on
Arizona madrone.  With its thin bark, it may be easily top-killed by
fire.  Other madrones are top-killed by fire and sprout from surviving
stumps [10].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
No literature was found on the response of Arizona madrone to fire.  It
is probable that Arizona madrone responds to fire as other madrone
species do.  Surviving Pacific madrone and Arbutus unedo sprout
vigorously within the first year after fire [10,14,15].

Madrean evergreen woodlands in Arizona were prescribed burned in 1983.
In 1989 and 1990, no sprouting or germination of Arizona madrone was
found.  The small, slow-moving fires may have caused root damage to
Arizona madrone, which suppressed sprouting or killed the plants [32].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Arizona madrone occurs in canyons that are often involved in prescribed
fire programs within the Madrean evergreen woodlands [1].

Related categories for Species: Arbutus arizonica | Arizona Madrone