It is hard to imagine that after only three weeks post-fire, riparian areas are already re-vegetating with a diverse assemblage of native plants. River Birch, willow, woods rose, cottonwood, rabbitbrush, chokecherry, and numerous grasses and forbs grow quickly in the nutrient-rich soils found in riparian areas.

Riparian plants act as “sponges” by catching water-runoff and filtering out the sediment before it enters the stream. Just following the fire, sand and ash were washed into the stream, making the bottom look dark and silty. However, over time, as more coarse materials gather on the bottom, streamside vegetation will filter out the finer particles.

“The stream is starting to respond,” says Chris Butler, Dixie National Forest Hydrologist. Looking down into a now clear pool of water. “It will be interesting to see this next spring.” Already insects, birds, amphibians and big game traverse the area, taking advantage of the nutritious young plants, renewed by this fire event.

From the fire comes rebirth.