FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Pinus washoensis | Washoe Pine 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Literature concerning fire effects specific to Washoe pine is lacking.
However, many of the yellow pines harvested in northeastern California
during the early 1900's survived earlier fires.  Stumps 16 to 36 inches
(40.6-81.4 m) tall usually remained after harvest.  The lowest portions
of the trees were left because they were defective from fire scarring or
accumulation of pitch from low-intensity fires [14].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Literature specific to Washoe pine's response to fire is lacking.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Fire suppression in white fir habitat types in northeastern California
leads to an increase in white fir, with a corresponding decrease in pine
species (including Washoe pine) reproduction [20].

A yellow pine-fir forest in the eastern Sierra Nevada near Truckee,
California, burned in a 1960 wildfire.  In 1965, the burned plot had
greater cover of shrubs, herbs, and grasses than an adjacent unburned
plot.  From 1966 to 1985 shrub cover increased while herbaceous cover
decreased.  In postfire year 15 yellow pines were the dominant trees,
although white and California red fir were present.  Yellow pines
codominated with the firs in nearby unburned stands.  Data are shown
below [18]:
                                             
                                             postfire year 15
                                    density/ha           basal area (sq.m/ha)
burned plot                            
yellow pine complex                    97.4                  3.1    
white and California red fir            4.5                  1.7

unburned plot
yellow pine complex                   335.5                 24.2
white and California red fir          448.8                 15.1

The responses of small birds to succession after this wildfire
demonstrates the potential effectiveness of increasing habitat
diversity, spatially and temporally, on breeding bird populations [22].

In the eastside yellow pine forests of northeastern California, fuel
loading has increased over time.  Early logging operations increased
slash and fire hazards.  Invasion of eastside pine lands by cheatgrass
(Bromus tectorum) and increases of woody shrubs, dense thickets of young
trees, and accretion of woody debris have increased the probability of
stand-replacing fires [14].

Related categories for Species: Pinus washoensis | Washoe Pine