Whittell Forest

Jeffrey Pine ForestThe Jeffrey pine forest is the dominant habitat in the Whittell Forest, covering nearly 1,800 acres and about two-thirds of the land area. This forest occurs on the slopes of the valley in well-drained soils and, consequently, is subject to long summer droughts. Many sites in the Jeffrey pine forest have experienced heavy mortality from pine bark beetles because of a severe drought in the mid 1990s.

JP-3 Before, 2004 JP-3 After, 2012

For example, the photo on the left is from August 2004. The Nevada Division of Forestry had estimated ≈500 tons of dead and downed fuels on this 4.9 acre site (unit JP-3). The after shot is the same site in August 2012.

JP-4 Before, 2004 JP-4 After, 2012

Another site nearby (unit JP-4); photos taken at the same times.The procedure for treating these sites is illustrated below.

Logs and other debris are piled and ignited after a light snow, in this case in early December 2006.

Crews from the Nevada Division of Forestry monitor the burning piles as they form more piles.

The burning of piles continued for a period of 5 days at this site (unit JP-3).

Burning at another site (unit JP-1) where fuels were not so dense in the early spring (May 2008).

Burning at this site occurred after snow melt when the temperatures were cool, the relative humidity was high and the winds light (May 2008).

The site (unit JP-3) viewed from about one kilometer away in December 2006. Surprisingly little smoke is created because the fuel burned cleanly.

Some areas in the Jeffrey pine forest (in this case JP-7) have seen abundant regeneration of young pines over the last couple of decades, severely overcrowding the forest. The before photo, taken in November 2006, shows dozens of saplings in the foreground. In November 2006, thousands of saplings and small trees were removed from this 8.3 acre site and burned during the late autumn. The after photo was taken in September 2012.

JP-7 Before, 2006 JP-7 After, 2012

Jeffrey pine forest at higher elevations (here JP-20) had dense stands of white fir in the understory, which can act as ladder fuels that potentially increase fire severity. This before photo was taken in July of 2008. In August 2008, Nevada Division of Forestry crews began removing most of the fir, thinned the larger trees and burned brush piles during the winter (see below). The after photo was taken in late August 2012.

JP-20 Before, 2008 JP-20 After, 2012

Another site nearby (unit JP-4); photos taken at the same times.

Winter BurnsIn parts of the valley with dense vegetation, it is unsafe to burn brush piles during the fall, so the Nevada Division of Forestry entered the valley during the winter and burned the piles when they were covered with a foot or more of snow.

Burn crews arriving in Little Valley in early January 2009 to burn brush piles.

Clearing snow from the burn piles.

Brush piles burning in the snow.

Final stages of a pile burn.

Crews visited Little Valley using a snow cat to burn piles in February 2010.