THE DETERIORATION OF FIRE-KILLED WHITE SPRUCE BY WOOD-BORING INSECTS IN NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN

Abstract

The problem of determining the rate of deterioration from the attacks of wood-boring insects on white spruce saw timber and pulpwood killed and damaged by fire is of considerable importance to foresters, owners and operators. In order that salvage operations may be undertaken promptly to utilize the timber, it is necessary to be able to determine values soon after the damage and to make plans to harvest first those classes of timber subject to the most rapid depreciation, leaving until later those trees least subject to value loss.This investigation initiated in 1941 with the early observation of the prevalence of wood-borers in fire burned areas of white spruce on the Carrot River watershed in Saskatchewan, was followed by intensive investigation during the summer months of 1942 to 1944.The investigation and report will be of great value to those concerned with the salvage utilization of fire-killed and damaged spruce and this work warrants the highest praise for those who undertook this valuable study. Extensive forest fires in 1942 damaged many spruce stands in Manitoba and Saskatchewan which totalled millions of board feet of saw timber and thousands of cords of pulpwood. Due to war-time demand and the high prices prevailing, it was possible and practical to produce and market a high percentage of the accessible stands during the three to four years subsequent to the fire damage.