In the early days of fire fuel treatments 25 years ago an experiment was conducted to investigate whether thinning Alaska interior black spruce stands could moderate fire behavior and what would happen to these fuel treatments over time. Partners Tanana Chiefs Corporation, Alaska Fire Service, and Alaska Department of Forestry conducted operational fuel treatments at 3 sites and the Joint Fire Science Program sponsored the research and monitoring portion of the experiment. What do these treatments look like now, and how have conditions changed over time? We had the opportunity to revisit and re-measure one of the demonstration sites recently with fire ecologist Eric Miller of the Wildland Fire Service—this one near the Gerstle River east of Delta Junction.
The thinned stands today (left) have filled in a little with spruce, both young trees and crown expansion, since thinning but are open and park-like. The retain the forest character but with more willows and caribou moss (lichens) replacing some of the feather underneath the trees. The forest floor organic layer is thinner by half and the depth to frost much deeper. Look at the difference compared to the untreated “control” plot nearby!
AK Fire Science Highlights 