FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Spiraea betulifolia | White Spirea 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
White spirea is almost always top-killed following fires of moderate to
high intensity.  The rhizomes are seldom consumed in similar fire
conditions [2,8,9,35].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
White spirea demonstrates high survival capabilities following
holocaustic wildfires [38].  It is a rhizomatous shrub that not only
survives burning, but can often flower the year immediately following
the burn [9,35].  Geier-Hayes [17] found white spirea to increase in
cover and frequency following disturbance by fire.  In fact, white
spirea was found to increase in canopy cover 3 to 5 years after a burn
[26].  On lightly burned sites, white spirea showed no significant (5%)
levels of nutrient accumulations [33].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
White spirea relies on sprouting for postfire regeneration [25].
Resprouting from surviving rhizomes ensures abundant regrowth after
fires, if conditions are suitable [25].  Bushey [4], however, found that
white spirea decreased noticeably in postburn transects.  Soil
morphology and depth to rhizomes are important components for estimating
potential fire survival [2].


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
White spirea has generally not been the primary target of fire
management objectives.  Because white spirea has a substantial portion
of its rhizomes in mineral soil, it has been ranked in the highest
fire-survival category [2].  Therefore, white spirea can be relied on
as a dependable fire-survivor species.

Related categories for Species: Spiraea betulifolia | White Spirea