FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Acer rubrum | Red Maple 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Red maple is intolerant of fire; even large individuals can be killed by
moderate fires [97].  Postfire mortality is relatively high for
saplings, but because bark becomes thicker and more fire-resistant with
age, mortality is much lower for sawtimber [98].  The effects of fire
also vary with fire severity, season of burn, and various site factors.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
Season of burn:  Late spring or early summer burns are most damaging to
understory hardwoods such as red maple [48].  A series of consecutive
annual late spring and early summer burns killed the rootstocks of
progressively more individuals; however, as many as five consecutive
annual winter burns had no effect on sprouting ability of top-killed
hardwoods [48].

Bark:  Bark of red maple is intermediate in resistance to fire [46].
Mean number of seconds required for the cambium to reach 140 degrees (60
deg C) (often considered a lethal temperature) are as follows [46]:

        Bark thickness          Seconds
        0.20 inch                20.0
        0.30 inch                56.8
        0.40 inch               117.6 


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Fire can stimulate sprouting of dormant red maple buds located on the
root crown [97].  Trees top-killed by fire often sprout vigorously and
assume increased prominence in postfire stands [85].  Seedlings also
sprout and may produce dense sprout clumps following fire [93].

Regrowth following fire is often rapid.  Regrowth begins during the
first month following summer and fall burns, and significant increases
in stem density occur by the third and fourth postfire months.  Martin
[74] observed red maple sprouts 2 weeks after a July fire in Nova
Scotia.  Red maple establishes through seed from June through August
[33].  Postfire increases in stem density commonly promotes red maple's
dominance within a stand [68].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
Red maple is reportedly common on burned lands in the Maritime Provinces
[82], boreal forests on northern Minneosta [12,51,96], and hardwood
forests of the Allegheny Mountains [50].  However, it is rarely observed
on burned sites in Rhode Island [14] and was reported to be greatly
reduced by prescribed fire in northern Indiana woodlands [18].


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Protein content of red maple commonly increases on burned sites[22].
Low-intensity fires produced increases in protein levels during the
first postfire season, but no increases were noted the following season.
High-intensity fires produced significant increases in protein levels
during both the first and second seasons [22].  Dills [101] reported,
however, that burning had no effect on the nutritive content of red
maple browse.

Related categories for Species: Acer rubrum | Red Maple