Last seasons fire brings a surplus of Morels.

Tracey, Keebler. Smoke Plume. 2012. The Oregonian

The Pole Creek Trail, for which the Pole Creek Fire of 2012 was appropriately named begins eleven miles south of Sisters Oregon, in the Deschutes National Forest. The area is a favored entry point for backpacker’s intent on exploring The Three Sisters Wilderness’s sub alpine environments and crystal clear streams that coil through the vicinity. The area is also known to be thick with a matrix of small diameter lodgepole pine, pondarosa pine, and subalpine fir. This all changed in 2012 when a bolt of lightning set the surrounding area on fire, an action I recently learned is called “autocatalytic”. Nearly a century of fire suppression created a dense forest that was well behind schedule and overstocked with a surplus of downed and woody debris.  The heavy arrangement and continuity of fuels created what is called a “fuel ladder” that allowed the fire to climb into the crowns of the surrounding trees. In addition, many abandoned vehicles were also scorched in the midst of the 26,000 acre fire. Furthermore the wildfire swallowed Central Oregon whole with waves of smoke deemed to hazardous to human health. Although, I will admit the burn did make for some pretty spectacular sunsets here in the High Desert.

The interesting thing is that The Pole Creek Fire created exactly the right conditions desired by one of the world’s tastiest mushrooms: the morel. It seems morels tend to thrive in areas of large scale disturbance and are particularly fond of recently burned areas. In my experience they fruited in tremendous numbers amid the recently burned trees and the adjacent ground covering of ash and needles.
After hiking the area 1 year later, I now understand that fire plays an important ecological role in the High Cascades. The interactions between fire and the biotic components of many coniferous forest have evolved with fire as a contributor to habitat vitality and renewal. It’s so interesting to look back on that day because now I know that many species in fire affected environments require fire to germinate, establish or all together reproduce. Fire is different in every ecosystem, but those best able to adapt alongside fire and not in opposition of it will most likely succeed.

Jerry, Haugen. Two morels in their micro habitat. 2016. Global Creations.