Description

Prescribed burning is increasingly being used under standing timber for site preparation and fuels management. Managers need guidelines for determining species and individual tree characteristics that are potentially capable of incurring minimal injury from a fire treatment. A synthesis of literature on tree mortality resulting from prescribed burning is presented. Emphasis is primarily on the direct effects of fire on tree crown and boles. Models for predicting crown scorch anmd cambial kill are described. Guidelines are offered for minimizing fire related injury to the residual stand and evaluating the need for salvaging fire damaged trees.