Rainbow Fire
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| The sign and transect line in this photo represent a long-term plot established to monitor fuel load, shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants after the burn. This photo was taken 5 years after the Rainbow Fire in an area where tree mortality was low. © NPS photo. |
The Rainbow Fire was ignited by lightning on August 20, 1992
in the Inyo National Forest south of Devils Postpile National
Monument. Strong winds moved the fire northward from
the point of origin near Pond Lily Lake, up the Middle Fork of
the San Joaquin River, and through the national monument.
Approximately two-thirds of the monument’s 798 acres
(320 hectares) were affected by the fire. In many areas fire
crept along the forest floor, occasionally burning into trees.
The southeast portion of the monument showed signs of high
severity wind-driven fire. In those areas, tree mortality was
high.
Although some lightning-ignited fires are allowed to burn in park and
wilderness areas, suppression action was taken due to the potential
threat to human life and property. The Monument was closed during the fire suppression efforts
and for a few months after to allow time for trail repair,
removal of hazardous trees, and to replace damaged signs.
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| A fire effects monitor establishes a long-term monitoring plot for fuels and vegetation one month after the Rainbow Fire burned through this area.
© NPS photo. |
Visitors to Devils Postpile will
still see some areas where the forest is filled with dead trees, called
snags. Whether they remain upright or fall to the ground,
these snags provide important nesting and foraging
habitat for a variety of wildlife. The death of trees also opens
up the forest canopy and allows more light to reach the forest
floor, creating favorable conditions for sun-loving grasses,
shrubs and tree seedlings to establish. By releasing nutrients
into the soil, fire provides an additional stimulant to new plant growth.
Immediately following the Rainbow Fire, Sequoia and Kings
Canyon National Parks fire effects staff
established long-term monitoring plots in Devils Postpile. The plots will
provide information on changes in fuel load and vegetation
composition and structure in the years following the fire. By monitoring
the resource's response to fire, park managers can make science-based
decisions and provide accurate information to the public.
Devils Postpile is not only interested in the present response to
fire, but also the history of fire in the monument.
By dating fire events
using tree-ring analysis, or dendrochronology, scientists can determine
the frequency of fire in an area. The first fire history study in the
monument was completed in the 2002 season. Tree samples are currently
being analyzed by the Fire Ecologist at Sequoia National Park. See the
Fire Information Cache
for more information on fire ecology and fire history in the
Sierra Nevada.
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