Wildfire Effects on Gila Trout Recovery

Multiple wildfires within Gila Trout (Oncorhynchus gilae) range have had the direct and immediate effect of eliminating trout populations. Because of this, wildfire has had a strong influence on Gila Trout recovery for over 25 years. Fourteen wildfires have burned in watersheds occupied by Gila Trout, affecting all but three populations. Fish evacuation has been required on multiple occasions, and ten Gila trout populations have been eliminated as a result of wildfires. Wildfire prompted, in part, the withdrawal of a downlisting proposal, development of an emergency evacuation plan and a captive broodstock program, and revisions to the recovery approach. Recent wildfires within Gila Trout range have become exceedingly large (> 40,000 ha) and while previous fires only impacted one to two populations each, the 2012 Whitewater Baldy Fire impacted nine of sixteen recovery populations.  Evaluation of affected streams was undertaken with the assistance of the Western Native Trout Initiative. Post-fire ash flows ultimately eliminated eight of the sixteen populations. Establishment new populations were initiated immediately following the fire, with the transplant of fish from impacted to un-impacted, fishless streams. Strategies have and continue to be adapted to address the conservation of Gila Trout in fire affected streams.