HOW FIRES DESTROY OUR FORESTS 



335 



protection on cut-over areas is 

 even more important than on 

 the forest. The cut-over areas 

 are, up to the present time, in 

 the most productive timber re- 

 gions, and timber growth is more 

 rapid on these areas than on the 

 mountain slopes. A great deal 

 of the young growth that follows 

 logging operations in the Doug- 

 las fir region has come from seed 

 that was stored in the forest 

 floor before the timber was cut. 

 On areas where the slash and 

 debris left after logging were 

 burned at a time when the for- 

 est floor was moist enough to 

 save some of the stored seed, 

 good stands of young growth 

 sprang up. The large areas of 

 logged-ofr land that are barren 

 have been made so by repeated 

 fires. As shown previously, when 

 the young stands burn there is 

 no seed left to restock the area, 

 and the method of clear cutting 

 removes all seed trees. In order 

 to restock these cut-over lands 

 the slash should be burned the 

 same season in which the logging 

 is done and at a time when the 

 forest floor is moist enough to 

 prevent the soil from getting too 

 hot. In this way reproduction 

 usually follows the fire. The 

 areas must not be allowed to 

 burn over a second time. 



The important facts about the 

 destruction of a forest by fire 

 and the reasons for protecting 

 the forest throughout its various 

 stages of development may well 

 be recounted. 



When the mature forest has 

 been destroyed, a stand of young 

 growth usually follows if the 

 area is not again burned over. 

 This young growth comes from 

 seed which was stored in the 

 forest floor and which lived 

 through the fire. Should this 

 young stand be destroyed before 

 it reaches seeding age, there 

 would be no further forest 

 growth because of the absence of 

 Seed on the area to produce a 

 new stand. 



Surface fires kill only occa- 

 sional mature trees, but they 

 much damage to standing 



THREE SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF FOREST DESTRUCTION 

 GOING! GOING! GONE! 

 Top Ridges and southern slopes are burned clear of forest growth. 



slopes 

 after several fires. Bottom Hills and slopes are reduced to barren wastes by repeated fires 



Middle Only scattered trees are left 

 wastes by repeated fires. Note the 

 few trees that are left in the background. All of this is potential forest land on the Crater National Forest 

 in Southern Oregon, which would produce good timber of yellow pine and Douglas fir; but it would have 

 to be replanted, as it will not restore itself. 



