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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): Kenneth W. Outcalt; Dale D. Wade
Publication Date: 2004

The objective was to determine the effectiveness of a regular prescribed burning program for reducing tree mortality in southern pine forests burned by wildfire. This study was conducted on public and industry lands in northeast Florida. On the Osceola National Forest, mean mortality was 35% in natural stands and 43% in plantations two growing seasons after a June 1998 wildfire. Burn history significantly affected mortality with those stands prescribe-burned 1.5 yr prior to the wildfire having the lowest mortality, while stands prescribe-burned 2 or more years prior had higher mortality. Although significant tree mortality did occur on the Osceola National Forest, with all trees killed in some stands, many trees in other burned stands did survive. The overall mortality was lower in both plantations and natural stands on the Osceola than at Tiger Bay where prescribed burning had been less frequent. The highest mortality rates occurred on the Luke Butler Forest where prescribed burning had not been used since plantation establishment. Thus, a regular prescribed burning program will reduce mortality following wildfires in both natural and planted stands of southern pines on flatwoods sites, even when wildfires occur under severe drought conditions.

Online Links
Citation: Outcalt, Kenneth W.; Wade, Dale D. 2004. Fuels management reduces tree mortality from wildfires in southeastern United States. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 28(1):28-34.

Cataloging Information

Regions:
Keywords:
  • artificial regeneration
  • backfire
  • bark
  • burning intervals
  • char
  • crown fires
  • crown scorch
  • disturbance
  • drought
  • fire frequency
  • fire injuries (plants)
  • fire intensity
  • fire management
  • flatwoods
  • Florida
  • forest management
  • fuel accumulation
  • fuel management
  • Gordonia lasianthus
  • headfires
  • herbicide
  • histories
  • humidity
  • ignition
  • Ilex glabra
  • incendiary fires
  • longleaf pine
  • Lyonia lucida
  • moisture
  • mortality
  • national forests
  • native species
  • Nyssa sylvatica
  • Osceola National Forest
  • overstory
  • pine
  • pine forests
  • Pinus elliottii
  • Pinus palustris
  • plantations
  • post-fire recovery
  • prescribed burning
  • private lands
  • regeneration
  • Serenoa repens
  • size classes
  • slash pine
  • stand characteristics
  • state forests
  • statistical analysis
  • Taxodium distichum
  • trees
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 15960Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Journals-SAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
JFSP Project Number(s):
  • 99-1-4-02
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 231

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.