Wildfire Recovery at the 4-O Ranch unit
WDFW to plant 85,000 seedlings to support forest health, habitat restoration following last summer’s Cougar Creek wildfire
The Cougar Creek fire started July 15, 2024 in southeast Washington. It quickly burned through the timber and brush of the relatively remote 4–0 Ranch unit of the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area, managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). By the time wildland firefighters had it extinguished, a little over 6,000 acres of public state-managed land had burned. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Following a wildfire, it is important to start reforestation work as soon as possible to replace trees and revegetate before invasive plants and weeds move in, squeezing out more desired and native vegetation. This is crucial for promoting healthy forest regeneration, preventing further damage from subsequent fires, protecting biodiversity, and providing a safe and vibrant place for Washingtonians to recreate.
“Soon after the fire, WDFW began restoration efforts, which included removing standing dead trees and looking into replacement vegetation,” said Wildlife Area Manager Bob Dice. “We also re-evaluated areas of the Grouse Flats Wildlife Area Unit after the fire and removed as much burned, and other, wood as possible.”
A timber harvest occurred in 2018 on the east side of the wildlife area, known as the Mountain View area, to thin trees and reduce potential impacts in case of wildfire. When the Cougar Creek fire came through, approximately 400 acres of forested land in that area either didn’t burn or experienced only light severity fire as a result of that work. WDFW will thin this area in the next few years, which should continue to increase forest resiliency in the case of future wildfires.
As part of both fire cleanup and WDFW’s ongoing forest management practices, approximately 500 semi-truck loads of harvested timber were taken out of the wildlife area. This not only makes the area safer for the public that uses it but also reduces fuel for potential future fires. Wood that is salvageable can be sold to mills to help fund other projects.
All of the harvested timber came from the west side as WDFW foresters advised against setting up a salvage timber sale at Mountain View as there wasn’t enough volume to make it worth the work and expense for area lumber mills. There was also damage to timber from bark beetles that moved in immediately following the fire. If you listen carefully in the video below, you can literally hear the crunching of the beetles as they feed on the wood.
In accordance with Department of Nature Resources Forest Practices regulations, WDFW plants trees in recently harvested areas, as well as following wildfires. Fortunately, a past WDFW forester had the foresight several years ago to collect a huge number of pinecones from the wildlife area to be used for seeds in the future. WDFW staff is working to contract with a private company to raise 85,000 seedlings from those seeds. Forty thousand of the seedlings will be used to replant recently logged areas on the west side of the wildlife area while the other 45,000 will be planted on the east side, particularly the area logged in 2018.
The 85,000 trees are expected to be enough to replant 566 acres. In addition, grass and forb seeds will be used to replant severely burned areas in spring of 2025. Due to the rugged landscape of the 4–0 Ranch, it will be done most effectively by being dropped from a helicopter.
Some WDFW wildlife areas, including the 4–0 Ranch area, lease grazing lands to livestock producers as appropriate to help keep plants manageable and provide a place for animals to graze. WDFW works closely with each producer to ensure grazing does not harm sensitive and fragile soils or plants recovering from fire. Many of the agricultural fields on the wildlife area were not harmed by the fire and will be fine for grazing during spring and summer of 2025.
Funding for this fire recovery and forest management work will be provided by WDFW’s Forest Management program, which includes income from timber management sales.
The Chief Joseph Wildlife Area and 4–0 Ranch are large areas, and there are many parts of them that were not impacted by wildfire, so we encourage visitors to continue to enjoy these state-managed lands.
“Please be respectful of areas with new vegetation and use caution in burned areas,” said Dice.
