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For thousands of years, fire was integral to ponderosa pine forests
The ponderosa pine forests of the southern Colorado Plateau evolved with frequent, low-intensity fires. Studies show that fires often occurred every two to ten years, varying in size and frequency with droughts and wet periods. Along with other disturbances related to climate variation, such as insect outbreaks, fires allowed forest changes to track climate changes over time. They regulated densities by killing small trees and maintaining stands of old, large trees. They also recycled nutrients and created wildlife habitat such as snags (standing dead trees) and burned-out root holes.
Tree-ring studies show that fires stopped burning in ponderosa forests late in the nineteenth century. This coincided with the introduction of domestic livestock, which removed the grasses through which fire burned. Without fire and grass, abnormal densities of small trees established, while industrial logging removed most of the large, old trees. These factors, coupled with road building and predator control, have caused radical changes during the past century.
Restoring ponderosa forests is a multi-faceted endeavor
To be successful, restoration must be ecologically, economically, and socially viable. At the broadest level, restoration involves restoring fire to wildland forests in a way that is safe, socially acceptable, and protective of wildlife and native biological diversity. This involves an integrated combination of science-informed social agreement, community fire preparedness, land use and fire management planning, and strategic placement of restoration treatments to facilitate fire management and wildlife conservation goals. Creating a safe landscape context for fire through community preparedness, wildland urban interface treatments, and other strategically placed restoration treatments is a critical prerequisite to landscape-scale restoration.
Consequences of historical management policies
On June 22, 2006, a controlled burn (ignited by lightning in the Kaibab National Forest south of Jacob Lake) got out of control because of heavy winds. It turned into a conflagration called the Warm Fire. Before it was contained days later, over 60,000 acres of piñon-juniper, ponderosa pine, and mixed conifer forest were consumed.
More recently, beginning on June 20, 2010, the Schultz Fire scorched over 15,000 acres of ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest along the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks, just north and east of Flagstaff. The damage left by the Schultz Fire has already caused severe flooding and erosion; these conditions will continue to plague many Flagstaff residents for years to come.
These unnaturally large and severe fires are stark reminders of the need to expedite forest restoration efforts in northern Arizona.
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