Wildfires,

[doc spring _work]

Recently there have been several fires around my area as the heat and drought cause us trouble.

There's a fire not too far from me now, only slightly contained...

Community has been great with handling it and so far the firefighters have kept the fire from damaging properties,

That being said I know the area pretty well and I'm probably gonna go hike the burn scar when it's under control. Possibly pick up some good deadwood for compositions and plan for next year collecting, I think if there are oak survivor (given the primary species out here is a cloning species I have hope something cool might end up out there)

Idk if there's any interest in post burn collection, but if I have enough money next year I'll probably buy some seedlings and go spread them out along the burn.

The oaks always return out here and the area isn't amazing for other plants but I love walking over the fresh burnscars and taking photos only to come back a year later and show off the healing landscape. Might be a cool bit of inspiration for a future project.

(Photo of burn map and a view from a few years ago of a small section of the area)

Saved the photo spot on the map with the fire symbol, rough sketch of the current effected area.. I'm thankful our firefighters are incredibly talented and always manage to keep properties safe during these yearly fires.

 

[Wulfskaar]

@Cruiser put together a burned but renewing forest composition that I thought was incredibly cool. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wildfire-composition.60239/

I also think it's extremely cool that you plan to plant some seedlings in the burn area. If you do end up doing that, please post pics!

 

[Attmos]

Recently there have been several fires around my area as the heat and drought cause us trouble.

There's a fire not too far from me now, only slightly contained...

Community has been great with handling it and so far the firefighters have kept the fire from damaging properties,

That being said I know the area pretty well and I'm probably gonna go hike the burn scar when it's under control. Possibly pick up some good deadwood for compositions and plan for next year collecting, I think if there are oak survivor (given the primary species out here is a cloning species I have hope something cool might end up out there)

Idk if there's any interest in post burn collection, but if I have enough money next year I'll probably buy some seedlings and go spread them out along the burn.

The oaks always return out here and the area isn't amazing for other plants but I love walking over the fresh burnscars and taking photos only to come back a year later and show off the healing landscape. Might be a cool bit of inspiration for a future project.

(Photo of burn map and a view from a few years ago of a small section of the area)

Saved the photo spot on the map with the fire symbol, rough sketch of the current effected area.. I'm thankful our firefighters are incredibly talented and always manage to keep properties safe during these yearly fires.

I think in a lot of areas, these days, they're airdropping seeds surrounded by nutrition into wildfire damaged forests. No idea how Utah treats nature, actually.

What's it like there in Utah?

 

[rockm]

Recently there have been several fires around my area as the heat and drought cause us trouble.

There's a fire not too far from me now, only slightly contained...

Community has been great with handling it and so far the firefighters have kept the fire from damaging properties,

That being said I know the area pretty well and I'm probably gonna go hike the burn scar when it's under control. Possibly pick up some good deadwood for compositions and plan for next year collecting, I think if there are oak survivor (given the primary species out here is a cloning species I have hope something cool might end up out there)

Idk if there's any interest in post burn collection, but if I have enough money next year I'll probably buy some seedlings and go spread them out along the burn.

The oaks always return out here and the area isn't amazing for other plants but I love walking over the fresh burnscars and taking photos only to come back a year later and show off the healing landscape. Might be a cool bit of inspiration for a future project.

(Photo of burn map and a view from a few years ago of a small section of the area)

Saved the photo spot on the map with the fire symbol, rough sketch of the current effected area.. I'm thankful our firefighters are incredibly talented and always manage to keep properties safe during these yearly fires.

the sentiment about planting seedlings is great however I’d bet the forest service or whoever is in charge of restoring the land would rather you not do that. You’ll could be introducing disease the wrong species or a dominant cultivar that aren’t really part of the landscape.

 

[Attmos]

the sentiment about planting seedlings is great however I’d bet the forest service or whoever is in charge of restoring the land would rather you not do that. You’ll could be introducing disease the wrong species or a dominant cultivar that aren’t really part of the landscape.

Is that what 'cultivars' are? ..dormant traits that have been bred into activity...
* Never mind, I misread your comment. You said "dominant", not dormant.

 

[rockm]

Is that what 'cultivars' are? ..dormant traits that have been bred into activity...

Basically yes. Genetic mutations that have been cloned or bred to develop into specific “varieties”. The practice is very old. Look at how many Japanese maple varieties (cultivars) there are. “Hybrid vigor” is a thing with some crosses or new varieties that can supercharge their growth strength etc. to some extent.

 

[doc spring _work]

I think in a lot of areas, these days, they're airdropping seeds surrounded by nutrition into wildfire damaged forests. No idea how Utah treats nature, actually.

What's it like there in Utah?

Dry... I've never seen the state do anything to rewild the mountains, honestly most of the state can't support trees out of the riverbeds.

That being said, the trees that do succeed here are clonal species. Aspen and gamble oak specifically in my range...

But it should also be said this state has an awful problem with invasives spilling in from the landscapes, Russian olive, elm, tamarisk, sumac.

So probably shouldn't go about replanting and more then likely nature will do its thing however with conditions getting worse in the state (much to human greed) many populations are shrinking,

Idk what all can be done by a cripple but it would be a shame to allow the area to fill with invasive species, the very least I could do is collect some gamble oak seeds and toss em about.

 

[doc spring _work]

@Cruiser put together a burned but renewing forest composition that I thought was incredibly cool. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wildfire-composition.60239/

I also think it's extremely cool that you plan to plant some seedlings in the burn area. If you do end up doing that, please post pics!

I remember this composition! It's very cool, if I where to do it id go with Aspen, given they are the primary pioneer species around here, but I imagine it would be tough to create good scale over time

 

[doc spring _work]

Fires 41% contained

Here's a helicopter overview of the damage

28K views · 248 reactions | #willardpeakfire August 15, 2025 - Evening Update Today, fire personnel continued working to gain containment around the fire, which increased to 41% today. The fire remains at 577 acres. Crews were digging handline, crea

#willardpeakfire August 15, 2025 - Evening Update Today, fire personnel continued working to gain containment around the fire, which increased to 41% today. The fire remains at 577 acres. Crews were...

www.facebook.com

 

[Attmos]

Dry... I've never seen the state do anything to rewild the mountains, honestly most of the state can't support trees out of the riverbeds.

That being said, the trees that do succeed here are clonal species. Aspen and gamble oak specifically in my range...

But it should also be said this state has an awful problem with invasives spilling in from the landscapes, Russian olive, elm, tamarisk, sumac.

So probably shouldn't go about replanting and more then likely nature will do its thing however with conditions getting worse in the state (much to human greed) many populations are shrinking,

Idk what all can be done by a cripple but it would be a shame to allow the area to fill with invasive species, the very least I could do is collect some gamble oak seeds and toss em about.

That's a shame. Probly going to get worse no matter what's done, considering the current warming pattern. Still you're right, it's nice to get out of the house, and maybe find something of value.

 

[doc spring _work]

That's a shame. Probly going to get worse no matter what's done, considering the current warming pattern. Still you're right, it's nice to get out of the house, and maybe find something of value.

Yeah... The climate Is making my practice very difficult, almost all the conifers in the environment and in my collection are giving out right now.

There have been several 100 degree days and the lack of humidity definitely makes it difficult for the plants. Idk what I can do. Probably need to invest in more shade cloth

 

[Attmos]

Yeah... The climate Is making my practice very difficult, almost all the conifers in the environment and in my collection are giving out right now.

There have been several 100 degree days and the lack of humidity definitely makes it difficult for the plants. Idk what I can do. Probably need to invest in more shade cloth

A greenhouse maybe? ...to collect humidity.

 

[doc spring _work]

A greenhouse maybe? ...to collect humidity.

Bought a cheap one, it didn't survive. Maybe when I have more finances I'll be able to build a proper one.

 

[August44]

Not sure what conifers you're trying to grow but I live in a zone 6 and we have very low humidity almost all of the time. I collect Lodge Pole pines, Sub Alpine firs, Larch, and Ponderosa pines and they do ok as long as I don't over water. I do use 50% shade cloth also. Where do you get your conifers?

 

[doc spring _work]

Not sure what conifers you're trying to grow but I live in a zone 6 and we have very low humidity almost all of the time. I collect Lodge Pole pines, Sub Alpine firs, Larch, and Ponderosa pines and they do ok as long as I don't over water. I do use 50% shade cloth also. Where do you get your conifers?

Primary the local nursery I use to work at.

Some of them there is good reason for them dying but I'm also talking about in the general environment.

My Atlas cedar tanki was too shaded. And I had a black pine that was just too damaged that I thought I managed to save but ultimately there was too few roots for the massive heat wave.

My bald cypress seems to be fine although I don't think it's happy with my air layering attempt.

But a lot of blue spruce and black pine are drying out state wide.

 

[doc spring _work]

Containment is at 58%
There are several trails that will make navigation a little easier but the fire has gone into some of the valleys which should have some great material assuming there are any survivors. All in all the area has the potential to have lost a massive amount of biomass, around 577 acres burnt
No homes damaged and the evacuation order is being recalled so homeowners will be returning soon

 

[August44]

Primary the local nursery I use to work at.

Some of them there is good reason for them dying but I'm also talking about in the general environment.

My Atlas cedar tanki was too shaded. And I had a black pine that was just too damaged that I thought I managed to save but ultimately there was too few roots for the massive heat wave.

My bald cypress seems to be fine although I don't think it's happy with my air layering attempt.

But a lot of blue spruce and black pine are drying out state wide.

Is the lack of moisture killing these trees, the spruce and the pine you mentioned?

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Thank God for those heroic firefighters. They do the best they can to protect the general population, but decades of poor forestry practices have put us at a real disadvantage. Thanks for this thread. Keep us posted.

 

[doc spring _work]

Is the lack of moisture killing these trees, the spruce and the pine you mentioned?

Yeah, particularly high temperatures and barely any water. We got next to no snow this year and even a little cloud cover is a welcome relief.

The lack of humidity in our area isn't really of consequence to the conifers but everything is suffering rn.

Thank God for those heroic firefighters. They do the best they can to protect the general population, but decades of poor forestry practices have put us at a real disadvantage. Thanks for this thread. Keep us posted.

You of all people would understand the frustration with the forest services... New Mexico fires always kill me especially with the ones that just happened a while ago in Ruidoso..

 

[vesper818]

Any trees surviving a fire might already be under severe stress. But then again, they must have some harder genes to endure. Maybe those remnants are the best trees to repopulate the devastation.