National Park Service monitoring new growth after Smokies fire

A team of scientists has been studying the plant and animal life as regrowth happens following the November 2016 Chimney Tops 2 fire in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The team has investigated 100 different areas and developed detailed maps of the impact by the fire.

“The thing that stands out is the red areas. This is around the Bull Head trail area that a lot of people would be familiar with. These are showing high burn severity areas,” said Troy Evans. “You can see in areas like this that once used to be pretty large trees are now pretty small.”

Of the 11-thousand acres that burned, a small percentage was in the highest burn category. Scientists say this will be the most interesting part to watch recover because new plant and animals could regenerate here.

“As the spring rolls around, I think you’re going to see a lot of green. A lot of growth. New things coming in, maybe where we lost canopy. And see a variety of changes from the fire,” he said.

He says it may only take a few years for the park to look like normal again. But he says there may be a new normal with new plants, animals and familiar ones in new areas of the park. Right now signs of growth are already present with new grass growing and animals already moving back in.

News video here…

 

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