Deterioration of fire-killed timber in southern Oregon and northern California.

Abstract

Deterioration of fire-killed timber in the coastal mountains of southern Oregon and northern California was monitored over a 3 yr period (1988-1990). Defect was identified and measured on felled and bucked sample trees by using Scribner and cubic scaling rules. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), grand fir (Abies grandis), white fir (A. concolor), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), and sugarpine (Pinus lambertiana), covering a wide range of geographic areas, site conditions, and tree size and age, were studied. One year afer death, Douglas-fir, sugarpine, and ponderosa pine had lost about 1% and the true firs 5% of their cubic volume. The sapwood of the pines was heavily stained. The occurrence of sap rot and weather checks increased the second year. Percent loss in all species was correlated with small-end scaling diameter. A logistic regression model predicting the incidence of cull was developed for use on logs that have been dead for 3 yr.

Citation

Lowell, Eini C.; Cahill, James M. 1996. Deterioration of fire-killed timber in southern Oregon and northern California. Western Journal of Applied Forestry. 11(4): 125-131