Two Months After the Burn

New Images from the Thirtymile Fire Area

These photos were taken on September 13, 2001, just two months after the Thirtymile fire started.  Even during these dry summer months, young plants have sprouted from the ash-covered forest floor.

Young aspen sprout up in the Thirtymile fire area just two months after the fire burned through.

Locations of photos in this report

At the edge of the burn area:
The burn severity in this area appears to have been moderate.  Some crowns are still green and some trees are blackened to the crown.  Living trees include Englemann spruce. New herbaceous vegetation, such as thimbleberry, is growing up from the blackened ground.

Photo 1: On the edge of the burn.  Thimbleberrys beginning to grow from the ash-covered forest floor

Deep within the burn area:
The forest in this area consisted of mostly small-diameter trees.  Trees were completely black in this area, and no needles were left on the trees.  Very steep cliffs surrounded the area and most trees on them were completely blackened.  However, in this area herbaceous vegetation is growing prolifically on the ash-covered ground.  New growth in the area included aspen and thimbleberry. The forest sounds surprisingly “normal” with birds singing, insects buzzing, and even snakes and lizards scurrying across the road. 

Photo 2: Blackened stands of small-diameter trees.  New growth sprouted beneath.	Photo 3: Blackened trees and new growth

Photo 4: On the road leading towards the fire’s ignition point

Photo 5: Young aspen grow up in burn area just two months after the fire	Photo 6: Much of the burn area consists of steep slopes.  This talus slope is adjacent to the fire’s ignition point.