A Deeper Shade of Green

The Hog Fire burned about 3,000 acres of the National Forest.  Like most wildfires, at least half of that total acreage experienced low to no severity burning; the rest was moderate to high.  In the latter areas (like the one pictured), there is usually 100% mortality of above-ground vegetation.  The roots, however, survive, and they immediately begin to sprout.  Willow, aspen, oak, choke-cherry.  These are all sprouters, and you will be surprised at how quickly they pop-up.  In these pictures, though, we're in the green line again:  A little ephemeral channel that began growing wetland grasses within a few days of the fire.