Despite the hardship endured by those closest to the recent wildfires, time will reveal the positive ecological role that fire plays.

The scarring left by fires that consumed more than 1 1/2 million acres in Texas so far this year eventually will be replaced by a landscape in much healthier condition for wildlife, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists.

How long the recovery takes will depend on a lot of things, most importantly rain.

San Bernadino National Forest firefighters Troy Nelsen (left), August Campbell and Ben Carmona put out a hot spot near Possum Kingdom Lake when wildfires struck in April near Mineral Wells. More than 1½ million acres across drought-stricken Texas have been affected so far this year.
Ron T. Ennis / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Wildlife are capable of escaping danger, including wildfires, and a burned area can be a positive thing for habitat and wildlife because it removes dead and unwanted vegetation.

The new plant growth that will come after rains will be beneficial to wildlife, the wildlife biologists said.

“Following sufficient rainfall, recovery of burned vegetation will be fairly rapid,” said Glen Gillman, a TPWD’s Wildland Fire Program leader. “Wildlife species such as white-tailed deer will move back into burned areas. This may take longer in areas where brush species were hit hardest.”

Wildlife populations

Initial field assessments by TPWD biologists indicate minimal losses to wildlife populations from the recent fires, although some deaths are to be expected during large fires and plant communities are expected to recover in time.

Individual ranches may see fewer animals until habitat conditions improve.

“Once rains come, forbs and grasses will respond quickly on most wildfire sites,” said Chip Ruthven, TPWD wildlife management area project leader in the Panhandle.

“Typically with spring fires, warm-season grasses will respond better than forbs. Regrowth normally has a higher nutritive content and woody resprouts are more available for species such as white-tailed deer.”

Big game animals, such as white-tailed deer and pronghorn antelope, are capable of evading fire, burrowing animals can seek refuge underground and birds fly out of harm’s way.

Even on ranches having high fences, deer usually can find an escape route. During a major fire that burned 95 percent of the high-fenced Chaparral Wildlife Management Area southwest of San Antonio in 2008, relatively few deer perished, according to area manager David Synatzske.

Three years later, Synatzske said, deer densities on the Chaparral WMA are at record highs and other animals, such as javelina, have also rebounded.

“We have an overabundance of grass and we put cattle back on in February with the highest bid we have ever gotten for grazing rights,” he said.

“The woody vegetation is coming back and the brush is back to a 6- to 7-foot level.

“Wildlife recovery has been extremely good, except for quail and we can’t blame that on the fire.”

The impact to ground nesting bird species, like bobwhite quail and turkey, are tougher to project because nesting cover will take longer to recover. But they do come back.

“Game bird species evolved with fire and have been observed actively feeding in recently burned areas,” said Robert Perez, TPWD upland game bird program leader. “Seeds become easier to find, not to mention the tasty toasted grasshoppers.”

Because the fires occurred during drought conditions, nesting attempts were already limited, said Jason Hardin, TPWD turkey program biologist.

Rio Grande turkeys

“The majority of Rio Grande turkeys will not even attempt to nest during drought conditions, considering it a better option to put their energy into surviving until the possibility of success is higher in subsequent years,” Hardin said.

Biologists suggest the greatest impact from the fires will be on reptiles and insect populations, both of which are capable of making rapid recoveries.

“Fires are a normal and natural process,” said Matt Wagner, TPWD Wildlife Division deputy director. “Wildlife, and the habitats they depend on, has evolved with fire and, in the long term, the effect of fires is generally positive.”