Fuel mass and stand structure after post-fire logging of a severely burned ponderosa pine forest in northeastern Oregon.

Stand structure and downed woody fuel mass were measured in four replicate units for each of three treatments (unlogged control, commercial harvest, and fuel reduction harvest) following the 1996 Summit Wildfire in northeastern Oregon. Commercial and fuel-reduction harvest resulted in a significant decrease in tree density and tree basal areas. The total downed woody fuel mass significantly increased as compared to the unlogged controls. Model projections of the fuel bed using the Forest Vegetation Simulator indicated the significant difference in downed fuel loading between the unlogged and logged units would remain for approximately 15 years. However, as stand collapse became progressively greater in year 25 and 50, the unlogged units downed woody fuel mass became two to three times higher than the logged units.