During the early fall of 2019 I came upon a small area where a fire had occurred the day before. I expect it was started by a lightning strike as most fires are in Florida. That time of year was very wet and the fire didnt go very far because the ground was saturated and flooded. The first picture was taken the day I came upon the burn. Leaves were burnt off the bushes and the undergrowth was gone. The palm tree trunks, at that time, appeared to be charred but the fire did not appear to have reached the still green leaves.
Two years later (second picture) three of the Sabal Palms have died and are in the process of decomposition but the small Slash Pine is fine. Recently, the Wax Myrtle is coming back. A thick layer of fallen palm leaves have probably prevented herbaceous plants and grasses from recolonizing the area so far. It will be interesting to see how this area develops in the future.
Periodic fires are essential to the Flatwoods, and fire maintains the character of this ecosystem by clearing out underbrush so that new pines, Palmettos and other plant can receive the sunlight they need to grow. The ash from the burned vegetation provides nutrients to the soil. Land managment practices now allow for prescribed, controlled burns unlike former practices of supressing all fire.
