Post-Wildfire Logging Hinders Regeneration and Increases Fire Risk

Recent increases in wildfire activity in the United States have intensified controversies surrounding the management of public forests after large fires (1). The view that postfire (salvage) logging diminishes fire risk via fuel reduction, and that forests will not adequately regenerate without intervention that includes logging and planting, is widely held and commonly cited (2, 3). An alternative view maintains that postfire logging is detrimental to long-term forest development, wildlife habitat and other ecosystem functions (1). Scientific data directly informing this debate are lacking. Here we present data from a study of early conifer regeneration and fuel loads following the 2002 Biscuit Fire, Oregon, USA, with and without postfire logging. Because of the fire's size (~200,000 hectares), historic reforestation difficulties in the region (4), and an ambitious postfir