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Did I kill my three year old Longleaf pines?

Started by Hendrix, March 02, 2021, 11:42:52 AM

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Hendrix

Two weeks ago we burned 35 acres of 3 three old longleaf pines in Quitman county Ga. Terrain is extremely hilly and the fire burned a little hotter than we wanted. We tried to back fire as much as we could but it just didnt work. The fire really burned hot when it was running up steep inclines. So, from the look of things can someone offer an opinion about the damage done or not done on these, Thanks

 

 

 

 

ESFted

No experience with Longleaf, but that does not look good.  It's spring, so you should find out very soon whether there's going to be any growth.
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Southside

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Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
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Magicman

But he may be lacking in performing miracles.  You want me to send you some Sweetgum for the Memorial Services??   :-X
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Southside

Un sportsman like conduct, roughing the kicker, 10 board foot penalty there MM  :D
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Tacotodd

Trying harder everyday.

chep

I had my first experience planting on a larger scale last spring. On a couple USfs plots in Vt. It is a lot of work!
Are those your personal trees? If so I feel your pain. I hope they aren't goners!
It takes a tremendous amount of love and foresight to want to plant trees on scale. I have no experience with long leaf so I wont say they are dead. Again i hope not!

  If they are then put in a 35 acre tree order asap and get those babies into that perfectly prepped nursery!!!  smiley_flowerhead pull_smiley

WDH

Look at the terminal bud.  You should be able to determine if the terminal bud is still alive.  I am going out on a longleaf limb and believe that there is a very good chance that they will be ok.  But, there is also a chance that they won't be.  I am still hopeful.  Longleaf are fire adapted and can withstand fire and heat that other pines cannot. 

You torched them pretty good, though  :).  
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Wudman

Looks like it was a flash fire with very fine fuel (mostly grasses I'm guessing).  I would be surprised if they don't survive. 

Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

Hendrix

Wudman, I was feeling low until the last comment, yours. I hope you are right sir. It was a fast moving fire with grass as fuel. Thanks to all for the responses

chep

Tell us more! Part of a bigger plantation?  Do you have burn experience? Sounds like it? Did you use machines for cutting fire lines? How many on your crew?

I'm just a curious cat. No real fire experience on my end so no loaded questions!  

Hendrix

I own 50 acres and 35 acres were hand planted with containerized longleaf by a crew. Have a fire lane that was cut when first planted. First burn for me, but asked lots of questions. I didnt anticipate the wind and the fire heating up and growing up the ridges, thats how I think it got too hot. 

Texas Ranger

I have burned some longleaf and agree with Danny, they can look bad and still come through.  Burning in the grass stage was always an OMG thing, but managed to make it.  Only time will tell, good luck.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

firefighter ontheside

I'm not as optimistic as some of the other guys.  My professional firefighter opinion is that it got really darned hot and most of those will not survive.  Perhaps some that were spared the hottest temps and direct flame will pull thru.  Remember that heat rises, so fire will usually burned hotter and faster up a slope.  The heat dries and heats the fuel that is uphill from the fire.  When the fire arrives, that fuel is already primed to burn.  In the future try to burn smaller sections.  Start your fire at the top of a hill and make it burn down.  Pay attention to the direction the wind is coming from and aim to make your fire burn into the wind.  To do this you need to have a fire break to start at and be very dilligent about patrolling that break.  If the fire crosses the break, now the fire is burning with the wind.  I'm sorry this happened. 
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WDH

The good thing is that although the needles did get scorched, they did not combust and burn off.  The needles most likely protected the terminal bud as they are supposed to. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Claybraker

I've driven by stands that looked really bad after a burn, then 6 months later looked just fine.

caveman

I'm hopeful that we will see a lot of these small trees live but longleaf pine are most susceptible to fire in the rocket stage (between grass stage and a tree).  Show an update after you know the results of your burn.  Good luck.  If it did not kill them, you should probably in good shape as far as brown spot needle blight is concerned.
Caveman

saskatchewanman

Scrape the bark a little to see if the tissue below is still green. Green is good, brown is not.

Obviously I have no experience with longleaf pine but I agree with the comments that even though the needles died of heat, because they did not combust the stem is probably fine. The duration of the heat was very short.

Treeflea24

If I may ask a dumb question:
Was it your intention for the fire to pass through this plantation, just at a lower intensity?
If so, what is the reasoning/goal? To remove the grasses and free up water? light? resources for your pines? Or is there some other purpose?
-

saskatchewanman


Blue Noser


Hendrix

Been a while but wanted to share that I probably only lost 5 or 6 tress out of the whole property longleaf did great!

Ron Scott

~Ron

caveman

I have been looking forward to a report.  I am glad it was a favorable one.  
Caveman

customsawyer

I'll offer a little advice. Next time you burn that tract you will want to back burn down the hill or at least at a angle down the hill. One mistake I see folks make when they are burning is like you they don't realize how fast a fire goes up hill. Second they burn when the wind is to low. You have to have enough wind to get the heat out of the tops of the trees. Long leaf actually like fire.
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