FIRE CASE STUDIES
SPECIES: Quercus chrysolepis | Canyon Live Oak 



CASE NAME : 
Marble - Cone



SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION : 
August 1977/severe.


STUDY LOCATION : 
The study site is located in the Ventana Wilderness Area of California
and includes the north slope of Junipero Serra Peak.  Two primary areas
were considered:  1) Summit Forest, and 2) Slope Forest.


PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY : 
Montane forest were dominated by sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana).  These
forests were surrounded by shrubby mixed hardwoods and chaparral.  On
steep slopes Coulter pine (P. coulteri), canyon live oak (Quercus
chrysolepis), and eastwood manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa) were
important vegetative components on some plots.  Important herbs and
subshrubs included rockcress (Arabis breweri), Indian paintbrush
(Castilleja foliosa), lipfern (Cheilanthes covillei), bedstraw (Galium
angustifolium), bedstraw (G. clementis), hawkweed (Hieracium argutum
var. parishii), deervetch (Lotus argophyllus var. fremontii), Abrams
lupine (Lupinus abramsii), lupine (L. hirsutissimus), red beardstongue
(Penstemon corymbosus), western swordfern (Polystichum munitum), and
crested stipa (Stipa coronata).  Density of canyon live oak was
estimated at 73 percent, with a basal areas of approximately 30 percent.

On gentler slopes within the summit forest, sugar pine, Coulter pine and
canyon live oak were dominant, with scattered eastwood manzanita.
Common herbs included dusky onion (Allium campanulatum), fleabane
(Erigeron petrophyllus), biscuitroot (Lomatium macrophyllum), oceanspray
(Holodiscus microphyllus), needlegrass (Stipa spp.), bedstraw (Galium
clementis), Micranth alumroot (Heuchera micrantha var. pacifica), and
western swordfern.  Basal area of canyon live oak was 6 percent, with an
estimated density of 23 percent.


TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE : 
not reported.


SITE DESCRIPTION : 
Slope Forest -
     slope - average 57 percent
     preburn vegetation - sparse
     topography - broken and steep
     elevation - average 5,215 feet (1,590 m)

Summit Forest -
     slope - moderate, average 42 percent
     preburn vegetation - no more than 25 percent cover
     elevation - average 5,576 feet (1,700 m)
 


FIRE DESCRIPTION : 
Fire crowned in some parts of the Summit Forest.  Fire changed from a
crown-type fire to a surface fire below 5,412 feet (1,650 m).  Here the
burn was somewhat patchy.  Portions of the canyon bottom characterized
by steep, rocky slopes or mineral soil remained unburned.


FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES : 
Nearly all canyon live oaks in burned areas were killed.  However,
burned stems sprouted vigorously and on some slope plots acorns also
germinated.  Prefire and postfire constancy and cover values are as
follows:

                constancy - (%) /modal cover - abundance values
                        Slope Forest            Summit Forest
                    preburn     postburn      preburn     postburn
from sprouts -      20 / +      100 / 1       60 / +      100 / +
from seed -           --        100 / 1         --        100 / 1
 


FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS : 
Canyon live oak sprouted prolifically after fire.  In some areas
seedlings were also present.  Response suggests a relatively rapid
recovery after fire.



FIRE CASE STUDIES
SPECIES: Quercus chrysolepis | Canyon Live Oak 



CASE NAME : 
Village Fire, California



SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION : 
November, 1975/not reported


STUDY LOCATION : 
The study site is located in the Angeles National Forest of California.


PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY : 
Preburn vegetation consisted of an almost pure stand of canyon live oak
(Quervcus chrysolepis).  Most trees ranged between 6 and 12 inches
(15-31 cm) d.b.h.


TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE : 
presumably dormant.


SITE DESCRIPTION : 
not reported.


FIRE DESCRIPTION : 
not reported.


FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES : 
The basal 1 to 5 feet (0.8-1.5 m) of most trunks were charred and
one-third to two-thirds of the leaves in the crown were killed.  Many
leaves close to the ground were killed by heat but were not actually
consumed.  The bark of some trees was burned through exposing the wood
beneath.  Larger trees often exhibited crown kill over a relatively long
period of time.  Approximately 55 percent of the larger trees were still
alive at the end of 18 months.  During the next 18 months, 50 percent of
the trees with "live crowns" turned brown.  Many more were expected to
die later.  Results were as follows:

            condition of trees 1-1/2 years after basal trunk damage -

tree       number    apparently   basal      basal sprouting   live crown
diameter   of        dead         sprouting  + live            only 
(dbh in.)  trees     (%)          only (%)   crown (%)         (%)

  0-3       10        10             90           0              0
  3-6       59         3             73          22              2
 6-12       97         1             25          70              4

            decline over a 3 year period in % of living crown -
 tree diameter      # of trees       % alive after     % alive after
 (dbh in.)                           18 months         36 months

   0-3                  10                0                 0
   3-6                  59               24                15
  6-12                  97               74                46



FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS : 
Aboveground vegetation of canyon live oak is sensitive to fire.  Even
low intensity ground fires can create high heat intensity on the surface
of the trunk due to the flammability and heat conductivity of the flaky,
outer bark.  A correct determination of fire damage is important in
assessing postfire survival potential of canyon live oak stems (See
Discussion and Qualification of Fire Effect).  Crowns and trunks of
larger canyon live oak with only light to medium char sometimes survive.
However, several growing seasons may be necessary to determine the
actual degree of damage.  Postfire harvest of smaller trees, or those
suffering greater trunk char, is generally recommended since survival of
stems is unlikely.

Related categories for Species: Quercus chrysolepis | Canyon Live Oak