FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Abies magnifica | California Red Fir 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Fires in high-elevation California red fir forests are generally not as
intense as those in the Rocky Mountains [38] and are typically less
intense than those at lower elevations [39,71].  This may be a result of
low annual fuel accumulation because of the short growing season
[38,39].  Fire has an important role in Sierra Nevada conifer forests,
particularly in the successional relationship between California red fir
and lodgepole pine [5,38].  Fire creates canopy openings by killing
mature lodgepole pine and some mature California red fir.  Where
lodgepole pine occurs under a California red fir canopy, it is
eventually succeeded by California red fir [5].  The estimated fire
frequency ranges from 10 to 65 years [5,66].

Crown fires are uncommon in California red fir stands [38].  Fires
normally spread slowly and are seldom very destructive because of the
nature of surface fuels and the prevalence of natural terrain breaks
[38,39,71].  The fire hazard in California red fir forests is lower than
in middle elevation, mixed-conifer forests [37].  Erosion problems did
not occur after a prescribed burn in a high-elevation California red fir
stand at Kings Canyon National Park [37].

The bark of older California red fir is thick and fire resistant [41].
The needles and branch tips are resistant to fire [30].

The fire interval for Shasta red fir is 70 to 130 years [2].  Fires are
usually patchy and of low severity.  Stand-replacing fires are rare [2].
Shasta red fir can tolerate occasional light fires [3].  Shasta red fir
retains its lower branches when not shaded out, which increases the risk
of crown fires [3].  Shasta red fir sheds its needles and naturally
prunes its branches where mountain hemlock is the successional climax
[3].  Fuel accumulation varies, but decomposition and drying are slow
[2].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

Related categories for Species: Abies magnifica | California Red Fir