Ponderosa Pine/Douglas Fir Forests and Wildfires

Throughout most of the western areas of the United States, especially in the mountain areas, you’ll find the ponderosa pines growing in the lower elevations. They stick between grasslands, and often sit on the north-facing slopes for the moisture and shade.

The ponderosa pines will mix in with Douglas firs around the areas, but there are some that are pure ponderosa areas. The areas these two types of trees grow in are problematic when it comes to wildfires.

Why Ponderosa Pines Are at Risk of Fire

Fires tend to start at the lower elevations. The grasslands offer the perfect fuel sources, and the young ponderosa trees end up dying. They don’t have the thick bark and deep roots that mature trees do. On top of that, the younger trees have branches that are much lower to the ground as they’re still growing, which means it’s easier for fires to spread.

The higher elevation areas, which is where the aspens grow, don’t see as many wildfires. There’s also less overcrowding, which makes it harder for the fires to spread.

What about the Douglas fir trees? They suffer from the same issue as the ponderosa pines. The younger trees have thinner barks and narrow branches that drape onto the ground. Mixed with the ponderosa pines, they are perfect for spreading fire.

Aspens Step in When Other Trees Disappear

It’s not even like the ponderosa pines or Douglas firs will step in and replenish the areas. As fire wipes out the trees, the aspen will step in as a replacement. Aspens tend to be more resilient to the fires, which means they help to reduce the risk of wildfires spreading.

Shouldn’t this be the goal? Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean we want to lose all our ponderosa pines and Douglas firs. It’s important to find a balance.

Steps to Protect the Ponderosa Pine/Douglas Fir Forests

There are steps being taken to help preserve the trees. This does require removing some of them. The aim is to ensure the forests aren’t as dense, keeping gaps between the trees to help minimize the threat of fire. Without the trees being so close by, it’s much harder for the fires to spread from tree to tree.

This is also good to prevent pests spreading. The mountain pine beetle is taking advantage of drought-stressed trees. By keeping the trees spread apart, the beetle doesn’t pass from tree to tree as quickly, minimizing the death and destruction, which then leads to a higher risk of fire.

It’s important to leave a mixture of ages of the trees. The older trees are important for protection against fires, but to preserve the species, new trees need to be planted. We want the best habitat for the wildlife.