A comparison of soil properties after contemporary wildfire and fire suppression

Forests that were subject to frequent wildfires, such as ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests, had fire-return intervals of approximately 6–24 years. However, fire suppression over the last century has increased the fire-return interval by a factor of 5 in these forests, possibly resulting in changes to the soil. The objective of this study was to determine if soils of recently burned areas (representative of the natural fire-return interval) have different properties relative to soils in areas without recent fire. To assess this, recent low-intensity, lightning-caused, spot wildfire areas were located within fire-suppressed stands of ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir of the central, eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Soil horizon depths were measured, and samples collected by major genetic horizons. Samples were analyzed for pH, C, N, C/N ratio, cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation (%BS), hydrophobicity and extractable P. Results show very little difference in soil properties between sites burned by low-severity fires and those areas left unburned. Such minimal changes, from these low-severity fires, in soil properties from fire suppression suggest there has also been little change in soil processes.