The study site comprised a burned area in the municipality of O Irixo (Ourense, NW Spain). The wildfire, which occurred in September 2009, burned 350 ha of shrubland. Prior to the wildfire, the shrubland was dominated by Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk., Ulex gallii Planch., Ulex europaeus L., Erica umbellata Loefl. (L)., and Halimium lasianthum ssp. alyssoides (Lam.) Greuter were also present. This plant community typically forms a continuous thick layer of vegetation that completely covers the soil. The study site was located on a relatively homogeneous slope of 36% and SW orientation (42 3102500 N; 8 40 2300W; 815 m a.s.l.)