Post-fire state of two cork oak stands (Zarieffet and Hafir) in northwestern Algeria

Abstract: Two pairs of cork-oak stands survivors from two different fires were studied. In Hafir two stands (PI1 and Pl2) survived a fire in 2004 and in Zarieffet two others (PI1 and Pl2) a fire in 2007. The results showed that growth of cork after trunk burning depends on the thickness of the cork at the time of fire. The percentage of very damaged and damaged “mother” layers was higher in Hafir (57%) than in Zarieffet (40% of the total). The average cork caliber measured in lines (1 line = 2.256 mm) exceeds 13.81 lines (31.17 ± 1.90 mm) in Hafir and less than 10 lines in Zarieffet (22.15 ± 2.46 mm). Cork quality produced by these trees looks healthy since only the outer surface of the bark is burned. The quality index Q is better in Hafir stands (PI1: 10.20; Pl2: 6.69) than in Zarieffet (PI1: 5.92; Pl2: 6.92). 66% of cork trees can produce stoppers cork in Hafir versus only 48% in Zarieffet.