In article ,
Larry Caldwell at says...

The spin doctors are at it already, claiming that the wildfires of last
summer weren't so bad after all, since some areas were left unburned.
They particularly point to the Biscuit Fire, the nation's largest of the
summer at 500,000 acres. The feel it is a triumph of the environment
that large acreages escaped completely unburned, and other areas
experienced a smoldering fire that left many trees unburned.

So let's look at the damage. A total of 191,000 acres burned at medium
to high intensity. Medium intensity kills most of the trees, and high
intensity leaves nothing but smoldering stumps. Of these 191,000 acres,
most were on steep slopes where the fire updraft and slope of the ground
assisted the movement of the fire into the crown. The erosion off these
steep slopes will choke rivers and streams with sediment, and seriously
harm fish runs for years.

Spin is right. Actually 78,870 acres burned at high
intensity (mortality approaching 100%). Mortality in
Moderate intensity is 40-80% for trees (old growth usually
less than young growth.)

Erosion from high intensity fire areas can be significant.
Road building for salvage logging on these same steep slopes
is a much larger danger for erosion and sedimentation.


Many of the areas spared by the fire are so rocky and infertile that not
many trees grow there anyway. The fire dropped to low intensity in those
areas because there wasn't much to burn.

It's quite a stretch to claim that the Biscuit Fire was beneficial in any
way. It did reduce the fuel load in the area, but that's about it.


Forest fires are a natural part of the Siskiyou region and
recur every 20-100 years. The Biscuit fire was simply larger
than average.

Fire can be beneficial for many species, some even require
it. The patchwork mosaic of rock types and fire history in
the Siskiyou and Kalmiopsis areas is the very reason why
there is such a wonderful diversity of plants and animals
there.

Without recurring fires some of the species would go extinct
in the area, and others would be highly reduced in extent.
Therefore, natural fires are beneficial over the long run.

Don't believe the "spin" of Larry Caldwell and others. They
only see money in trees. Because they didn't make a profit,
the area is "ruined."


For some facts, try...


http://www.biscuitfire.com/baer_summary.htm


Remember, only you can prevent ignorance.