Forest recovering after 2015 fires

June 14, 2017

In May, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests planted approximately 45,500 western white pine, larch and cedar in 126 acres of the Lower Flat Salvage Sale area on the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District that was burned during the 2015 Grizzly Complex fires. Hemlock needles coat the forest floor masking the ash and burned ground. Thick stands of intrusive hemlocks, affected by the wildfire, look deceptively well; however, with their fire-intolerant thin bark, much of the hemlock in this area is already dead or dying. Winter logging activity removed many of the burned trees, providing an opportunity for the district to shift the tree species composition to more resilient tree species such as those being planted to meet management objectives. Despite the wildfire, lady-ferns, huckleberries, and other plants are already thriving in the new openings.