General Information

Fire Ecology of
Crater Lake National Park

Fire is as much a part of the forests in Crater Lake as are avalanches, windstorms, native insect and disease outbreaks, and volcanoes. All of these naturally occurring forces play an important role in shaping the forest landscape.

For as long as there have been forests, there have been fires. All it takes is the right set of ingredients: fuel, oxygen, and a source of heat.

The evidence of fire can be seen in the forests of Crater Lake National Park. You might recognize this evidence in the form of fire-scarred trees, silver snags, charcoal in the soil, mosaic patterns of even-aged trees, or charred wood.

Recent scientific studies have determined that fire is a naturally occurring force that plays an important role in shaping the forest landscape. Different plants and animals often recolonize burned areas, thus adding to the diversity of the species in the forest. Many species are adapted to the presence of fire and some even depend upon fire for germination and growth. After a fire, the forest is reborn in the nutrient rich ash which fertilizes the soil.

For ninety years, park policy has been to suppress all forest fires. Without fire, fuels such as twigs, branches, and dead logs have built up in some areas of the park, possibly setting the stage for a catastrophic wildfire. These major fires are the ones that produce huge columns of smoke and leave behind dead trees.

Fire management strategies can be used to avoid scenes such as this. Prescribed natural fire and ignited burns are management tools which resource managers use to help reduce accumulation of dead wood and to aid in the regeneration of forest growth. The ultimate goal of any fire management program, especially that at Crater Lake National Park, is to help preserve and protect our nation's valuable forest land.

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