Biscuit Fire Publication Controversy - Science Article

Science Article

The paper, written by graduate student Dan Donato and several colleagues, concerned the effects of logging in the aftermath of the 2002 Biscuit Fire, a massive wildfire which burned nearly a half million acres (2,000 km²) in southwestern Oregon. Some forestry scientists, as well as the Bush administration, have proposed that salvage logging--removal of dead trees after a fire (many of which may still be usable as timber)--is necessary for fire safety and forest regeneration. Donato et al.’s research provides some evidence refuting this view. They compared sections of the burn which were burned severely then were salvage logged to sections which had only been burned. They found the unlogged portions had significantly more conifer seedlings than were found in the logged portions. The paper suggested that soil disturbance and materials left over from the logging process may have disturbed the growth of seedlings. In addition, the paper reports on elevated surface fuels in the logged sites, which, they concluded, elevated the risk of future fire.