Fire Ecology of Western Montana Forest Habitat Types William C
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This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. United States Department of Agriculture Fire Ecology of Forest Service Intermountain Western Montana Research Station General Technical Report INT-223 Forest Habitat Types William C. Fischer Anne F. Bradley THE AUTHORS WILLIAM C. FISCHER is a research forester for the Prescribed Fire and Fire Effects Work Unit at the Inter- mountain Research Station's Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.S. and B.S.F. degrees, 1956). Prior to joining the staff at the lntermountain Fire Sciences Laboratory, he was employed as a forester on the Boise National Forest in Idaho. ANNE F. BRADLEY earned a B.A. degree in biology from Colorado College in 1977 and an M.A. degree in botany from the University of Montana in 1984. Her speciality is plant ecology. She is currently employed by the Prescribed Fire and Fire Effects Research Work Unit at the Inter- mountain Fire Sciences Laboratory, lntermountain Research Station. RESEARCH SUMMARY This report summarizes available information on fire as an ecological factor for forest habitat types in western Montana. The forest habitat types are assigned to Fire Groups based primarily on fire's role in forest succession. For each Fire Group, information is presented on (1) the relationships of major tree species to fire, (2) fire effects on undergrowth, (3) forest fuels, (4) the natural role of fire, (5) fire and forest succession, and (6) fire management considerations. April 1987 Intermountain Research Station 324 25th Street Ogden, UT 84401 CONTENTS Page Page Introduction ................................. Forest Fuels ............................... 34 Format ................................... Role of Fire ............................... 34 The Fire Groups ........................... Forest Succession .......................... 34 Nomenclature ............................. Fire Management Considerations ............. 35 Relationships of Major Tree Species to Fire ....... Fire Group Six: Moist Douglas-fir Habitat Types ... 36 Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) ............ Vegetation ................................ 37 Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus Forest Fuels ............................... 37 scopulorum) .............................. Role of Fire ............................... 40 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) ............ Forest Succession .......................... 40 Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii) ........ Fire Management Considerations ............. 42 Western Larch (Larix occidentalis) ............. Fire Group Seven: Cool Habitat Types Usually Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) ............... Dominated by Lodgepole Pine ................. 43 Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicacl;s) .............. Vegetation ................................ 43 Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa) ............... Forest Fuels ............................... 43 Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) ........ Role of Fire ............................... 46 Western White Pine (Pinus monticola) .......... Forest Succession .......................... 48 Grand Fir (Abies grandis) .................... Fire Management Considerations ............. 50 Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) ......... Fire Group Eight: Dry, Lower Subalpine Habitat Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata) ............. Types ..................................... 52 Subalpine Larch (Larix lyallii) ................. Vegetation ................................ 52 Undergrowth Response to Fire ................. Forest Fuels ............................... 52 Wildlife Response to Fire ...................... Role of Fire ............................... 52 Summary on Downed. Dead Fuel ............... Forest Succession .......................... 52 Fire Use Considerations ....................... Fire Management Considerations ............. 55 Heat Effects and Insect Attack ................ Fire Group Nine: Moist Lower Subalpine Habitat Frequency of Burning ....................... Types ..................................... 55 Large Woody Debris ........................ Vegetation ................................ 55 Heat Effects on Soil ........................ Forest Fuels ............................... 56 Prescribed Fire Planning .................... Role of Fire ............................... 62 Fire Group Zero: Miscellaneous Special Habitats . Forest Succession .......................... 62 Scree .................................... Fire Management Considerations ............. 65 Forested Rock ............................. Fire Group Ten: Cold, Moist Upper Subalpine and Wet Meadow .............................. Timberline Habitat Types ..................... 65 Mountain Grassland ........................ Vegetation ................................ 66 Aspen Grove .............................. Forest Fuels ............................... 66 AlderGlade ............................... Role of Fire ............................... 66 Fire Management Considerations ............. Forest Succession .......................... 68 Fire Group Two: Warm. Dry Ponderosa Pine Fire Management Considerations ............. 69 HabitatTypes .............................. Fire Group Eleven: Warm, Moist Grand Fir, Vegetation ................................ Western Redcedar, and Western Hemlock Habitat Forest Fuels ............................... Types ..................................... 69 Role of Fire ............................... Vegetation ................................ 69 Forest Succession .......................... Forest Fuels ............................... 70 Fire Management Considerations ............. Role of Fire ............................... 74 Fire Group Four: Warm. Dry Douglas-fir Habitat Forest Succession .......................... 75 Types ..................................... Fire Management Considerations ............. 77 Vegetation ................................ References ................................. 78 Forest Fuels ............................... Other References ............................ 84 Role of Fire ............................... Appendix A: Habitat Types Occurring West of the Forest Succession .......................... Continental Divide in Montana ................. 87 Fire Management Considerations ............. Appendix 8: Dynamic Status of Tree Species ..... 89 Fire Group Five: Cool. Dry Douglas-fir Habitat Appendix C: Habitat Type Fire Groups for Montana Types ..................................... Forests .................................... 91 Vegetation ................................ Appendix D: Scientific Names of Plants in Text .... 96 NORTHWESTERN CENTRAL Mlaaoun R Breaka Figure l-Forest regions of Montana (source: Arno 1979). Fire Ecology of Western Montana Forest Habitat Types William C. Fischer Anne F. Bradley INTRODUCTION to special adaptations to fire, such as corky bark, sero- tinous cones, or seeds that require mineral soil for This report summarizes available fire ecology and man- germination. agement information that applies to forest habitat types west of the Continental Divide in Montana-specifically, on Undergrowth Response to Fire-This is a brief sum- the Bitterroot, Flathead, Kootenai, and Lolo National mary of the effect of fire on the response of important Forests; the western portions of the Deerlodge and Helena understory grass, forb, and shrub species. Particular National Forests and Glacier National Park; the Flathead attention is given to fire-adaptive traits or survival Indian Reservation; and on adjoining State and private strategies that determine whether fire generally increases timberlands. The primary purpose of this report is to help or decreases species cover in the immediate postfire forest managers understand the role of fire in western period. Montana forests, especially the role of fire in forest tree Wildlife Response to Fire-This section contains brief succession. summaries of the -general effects of fire on common Habitat types are assigned to 10 "Fire Groups" based western Montana mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and on the response of the tree species to fire and the roles birds. Fire response of wildlife is largely inferred from these tree species take during successional stages. The expected changes in habitat as a result of fire. exception is Fire Group Zero, which is a description of Fire Use Considerations-This briefly summarizes miscellaneous vegetation types. Because Fire Groups One cautions that apply to the use of fire for resource manage- and Three only occur east of the Continental Divide in ment purposes. Emphasis is on effective use of fire, site Montana, they are not discussed in this report (see Fischer protection, minimizing damage to residual stand, and and Clayton 1983). wildlife habitat protection. The Fire Groups defined in this report include a number Habitat Types and Phase, ADP Codes, and Forest of borderline cases. Differences in fire behavior and in suc- Region-The Fire Groups are defined with reference to cessional patterns often depend on small local changes in "Forest Habitat Types of Montana" (Pfister and others fuel, temperature, moisture, sunlight, topography, and 1977). A complete list of the habitat types west of the seed availability. Thus, it would be possible for stands that Continental Divide in Montana is included as appendix A. key to the same habitat type to fall into different Fire Habitat types are designated in the standard format of Groups. Assignment