Soil and Root Damage
Burning under prescribed conditions in the South generally does not expose bare soil. If duff remains after a burn, the physical properties of the soil probably were not harmed. If mineral soil is exposed, especially on steep slopes, soil movement and deterioration of site quality may occur.
Root damage is likely whenever the organic layer is completely consumed. It should also be expected
whenever burns are conducted over dry soils (drought conditions) or when a deep litter layer is present, even though some duff remains.
New root growth in vigorously growing pines can usually offset these losses, but older trees, having survived such fires without crown damage, often die six months to a year later for no apparent reason