The Yosemite Rim Fire burned some 402 square miles of forest and meadows in and around California's Yosemite National Park over 2 months this past summer. The cost of fighting the fire was estimated at over $127 million as of October 24.

In spite of catastrophic loss of life and property that wildfires bring, scientists acknowledge that they play a vital role in a wild ecosystem. And so, the debate over how to best deal with wildfire continues to rage; stoked by the aftermaths of large disasters such as the Rim Fire that burned for weeks and destroyed hundreds of square miles in and around Yosemite National Park.

Weighing in on this debate, scientists from Point Blue Conservation Science plan to study 70 sites charred by the fire. They will monitor plant and bird communities, gather information about how the areas change, and make post-fire forest management recommendations.

The nature conservation organization deems that as a result of fire suppression policies over the past century, many forests, such as those in the Sierra Nevada, are now filled with far more trees, especially small ones, which are more susceptible to fire. This build-up of fuels, combined with longer, drier summers, means that when fires occur, they burn with greater intensity and kill more trees, changing the ecology of the forest.

The organization points out that the Rim Fire's pace and intensity decreased once it entered Yosemite National Park, where land managers have used fire to reduce fuel loads for the last 30 years. Over the past decade, Point Blue has studied how to keep forests healthy for birds, which they cite as an excellent indicator of nature's health. The scientists looked closely at how trees are removed, whether by wildfire or by machines, and what the impact was to birds. They concluded that an increased use of fire along with some mechanical reduction is the best approach to reduce fuels, and sustain wildlife in the Sierra Nevada.

In addition, they feel their findings show the value of setting aside parts of the burned forest for plants and animals that flourish in these areas after a fire. This involves leaving dead trees standing and allowing the forest to regenerate naturally instead of replanting conifers.

"Clear-cutting large swaths of forests after a wildfire has immediate and lasting negative impacts on wildlife," explains Ryan Burnett, Point Blue's lead researcher on the Sierra Nevada team. "It's time we take a new approach, using research and monitoring to be more strategic and thoughtful about our forest management decisions after a fire."

The organization acknowledges that many species are adversely affected by wildfires. As an example, they concede the Pacific Fisher and the Spotted Owl will potentially lose habitat, but predict that even the most blackened acres of the Rim Fire will be teeming with life in a few years. Species like the Black-backed Woodpecker, the Mountain Bluebird, and the Lazuli Bunting are some of the many species that benefit from wildfire in the Sierra Nevada according to Point Blue.

"Post-fire landscapes are not catastrophic wastelands," says Burnett. "They are important habitats that sustain biological diversity."

Point Blue scientists are now working to incorporate their findings into every National Forest management plan in the Sierra Nevada.