In 2007, the Neola Fire burned the foothills of Pole Mountain.
Today, although burned tree skeletons still stand, the meadows are lush with green grass and flowers.
Above is a ponderosa pine tree with a charred trunk and dead lower limbs, while the top of the tree is alive and well.
Steve scraped off the charring and saw that it only went about 1/3 inch deep. The bark beneath is healthy.
The fire burned off brush and scrub trees, leaving the meadows more open than before, providing better grass for wildlife. The earth renews.
Life rises again from the ashes. As we enter another fire season in the CO high country, we are on-alert because of our proximity to the forest. I just finished reading "Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout" by Philip Connors, which I found interesting. (I reviewed it on my Blog sidebar.) The lushness of that last photo does tell a tale of renewal.
ReplyDeleteHi Janie, We're in Oklahoma tonight --getting ready in the next few days to go into the fire areas of Arizona and New Mexico..... We're not sure what we will find. It's sad --but as you said, Nature does renew....
ReplyDeleteWe're having a great trip so far.
Hugs,
Betsy
From the ashes comes life.
ReplyDeleteI love the Ponderosas.
Beautiful! Since some plants NEED fire in order to reproduce, it's all just part of the glorious plan of God and Nature. I have so enjoyed the extra-abundance of wildflowers this year.
ReplyDeletefires are terrible but sometimes the area comes back more beautiful...
ReplyDeleteNature recovers, though she takes her time. Our forest still looks very sad but there is new growth at the tops of the trees so there is hope - unless it's a 'last gasp.'
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how fast the land will come back after a burn.
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful; renewal. We all need it now and then!
ReplyDeleteWild fires have been burning southwest of us in the everglades. Not enough rain and now we are entering hurricane season but I don't like that as an alternative.
ReplyDeleteEverything in moderation would be nice and still renew the land.
Happy trails Janie,
Pam
We drove through some areas of Texas and New Mexico that burned last year. There weren't ever many trees in those areas, but the grasses and wildflowers were showing new growth.
ReplyDeletethat was quite the fire--it is nice to see it growing in so nicely.
ReplyDelete