Scientific Findings Related to Catastrophic Fire

Oregon State University Biscuit Report 2003

• Fire risk will increase if fuels are not managed and insects further damage fire-injured trees.
• The economic value of fire-killed timber will decline rapidly - 22% in the first year.
• Reforestation, vegetation control, and removal of remaining dead and dying trees provide the main opportunities to reduce the risk of recurring large-scale fires and shrub encroachment.
• Site conditions conductive to prompt reforestation of conifers will diminish rapidly as aggressive native shrubs and hardwoods resprout or regenerate along with invasive weed species.
• Riparian habitat and habitat suitable for old-growth-dependant wildlife can benefit immensely from immediate actions to aid ecosystem recovery to forested conditions.
• When management to restore ecosystem health takes soils, water, fish and wildlife into account, adverse impacts can be minor compared with the long-term consequences of delayed action or lack of management interventions.