Wildfire

Mother Nature threw us a curve this week. Our neighbor's place suffered a dry lightning strike about 1 pm and 100 degree weather. Fortunately the volunteer department responded quickly, but it took several hours to get it put out. I spent the next two days putting out little flare-ups. The place hadn't seen a fire in over 90 years. Large mots of oak trees and shin oak burned, plus the cedars and low shinnery. Fortunately we received 1.1" of rain two nights ago. Now the waiting begins to see how the place recovers. I spoke with the NCRS agent yesterday to get his thoughts on the progression of recovery. He said if we let it recover naturally that we should see a resurgence in grasses, weeds, sunflowers, followed by woody plants longer term. I thought I would ask the members about their thoughts on recovery progression. Here are a few pics of the current state of the burned area. Maybe the edge between the brush and the burned area will give our quail population a boost. Thanks go out to all of you volunteer firemen who do this all over the state!

Let nature take its course. Better than you.

Yep, let nature do what it's designed to do.

where was this fire? This year you probably have some black antlered bucks but he regrowth will bring nice results for the next couple years

Collingsworth County last Tuesday.

All that new growth will be great,I hunt a lot in the big thicket national park [big sandy unit] and it needs a natural burn,except there's so much old stuff it would probably be out of control.when I was younger the old men would keep it burned off every so often,can't do that now because the federal government says no.

90 years and hadn't burned? A fire was probably the best thing for the land. That just fertilized the place quite nicely.

Fire and recovery are a part of nature. Nature remains in flux. Man is the one who often wants things to remain stable, but nature doesn't. Let is recover naturally. It will recover and be beautiful. After the Rockhouse fire out by Fort Davis in 2011, the greenest areas the following year were those that had burned.

My grandad burned the place in 1927. That's the only fire since 1911 when he bought it. I took those pics from one of the deer blinds. I can't wait to get back there to see it green up and give me a better opportunity for some yote hunting.

Fire will bring out some good stuff.

That rain was important and now if you can get more it will really make a difference. IME deer will be in that burn area after it greens up in higher than normal numbers for about 1.5 yrs. You should have great hunting.

I’d burned it ever 10 years at the min.


I’m a fan and I think you will be pleasantly suprised with the new wildlife utilization

I am anxious to see the affects of the fire over the next 3 years. I can also say I was greatly relieved when the lord blessed us with the rain so shortly after the fire

This! Best thing that can happen for the land 7 wildlife.

Wait...what? You mean you are guaranteed to have to buy a new truck every ten years?

Pink had a fire on their plate a few years ago. I’d like to know how it has recovered.....

Fire is a great management tool. I would divide the place up into four or five units and burn one every year or every other year giving you a five or ten year rotation.....

That is awesome that you got the rain after the fire Like so many have said, fire regenerates the land and hopefully you will get another good rain soon

Agree with everyone that the fire will ultimately have a positive effect on the vegetation and wildlife.

Apparently a big part of the devastating fires experienced in Australia last year was that there hadn't been any controlled burns in many years due to protests from the greenies that little creatures would be harmed. Of course, nobody likes to see little creatures harmed but periodic burns would have been for the greater good.

With a few inches of follow-up rain I think the landscape will look fresh, green and beautiful within a short space of time.

Went through it when we had several thousand acres burned on the Pitchfork back in the drought of 12-13. You will have one big green food plot if you get fall rain.......the cedars take about ten years to grow back to the size they were.....Mesquite just keeps on growing........mother nature’s management tool and it’s a great one.....

I had one about 30 years ago with a high wind during late Fall. It was great. BUT, without the wind it would have been one big mess with some expensive dozer work. My place is thick with oaks and some cedar. The low brush and leaves, along with quite a few fence posts and wire, went. But the oaks and grasses came back beautifully. If I could duplicate those conditions, I could use another one but the local volunteer fire department couldn't.

If you ever see a big cedar catch on fire you won't forget it.

I’ve watched them superheat as the fire gets closer then they explode like a napalm bomb....as those are burning the ones next to them heat then explode and the process is repeated over and over.....quite a sight to see!

You see the smoke go from pitch black to a light grey the erupt in pitch black again over and over....

Our south ranch was burned back in 2011and it was BAD. Now, you cannot tell anything ever hit.

Our place up in OK does a controlled burn every so often. They did one when I was up there for turkey season this year, so I am really looking forward to the hunting this year! When I was up there last month fishing, You could not even tell that it ever burned.

lol, I’m at 5 on this truck, it will be a miracle if I make it to 7

Dave is right, the cedars essentially explode and the smoke rolls black when they ignite. I would of preferred a cool winter burn instead of a 100+ degree day burn. We've had about 7 inches this year, so we need several more rains to get past the critical phase. Now we are about to repair fences.

This is a good idea, although it should be noted that prescribed burn and wildfire can have very different results. Prescribed burning has certain objectives and a weather criteria that must be met. With wildfire, you pretty much take what mother nature gives you. Sometimes you get a nice, low intensity burn. Sometimes you get a hot, fast moving head fire that nukes thousands of acres.

The last few months have been active in Texas, but I wouldnt say we are above normal.

Big cedar or pinion/juniper patches are terrible to catch fire, then try to put out. That's what my son and about 800 others are battling right now in Colorado on the Pine Gulch fire. Scary!!!

We had a bad fire on a place in Palo Pinto county about 10 years ago. Family member owns it and we were devastated. But it turned out to be a very good thing. It won't take as long as you thin to come back.