Finding Morels in Last Year's Burns

Some Morels Only Grow In Areas That Burned In The Last 1-2 Years

In the PNW, there are several species of morel that only grow in areas that experienced a forest fire in the last 1-2 years. Unlike the morels that grow in riparian areas or healthy conifer forests we covered in the last two articles, burn morels are more likely to grow in large volumes. It is for this reason you will likely have professional picker competition in the burns. Here are four commonly found burn morels:

Four commonly found morels that only grow in burns

Don't Be A Jerk

Wildfires can be devastating to the local wildlife and communities, especially when they reach into residential areas. You should always be respectful of local communities and the forest you are foraging in, but it's wise to be extra cautious of how your actions might be perceived by others when visiting the site of a recent fire. You can help by:

• Do your part to prevent forest fires: https://smokeybear.com/

• Give back to communities suffering after a fire: The local fire department and news stations often have funds you can donate to or volunteer opportunities you can join to help rebuild following fires.

  
  

Stay Safe

You should always practice safe foraging when in the forest, such as being careful where you step, listening for the cracks of falling trees, and protecting yourself from potentially dangerous wildlife like big cats and bears. In an area impacted by fire, these dangers become even more prevalent. Fires can leave behind voids under the surface where roots have burned out; I recommend a sturdy walking stick to test the ground where you plan to step. Partially burned trees are more at risk of falling, so remember to look up and always keep your ears open to listen for signs of falling debris. Always carry bear spray, forage in groups, and make sufficient noise to warn off wildlife as you approach.

Finding Burns

Finding burns is pretty easy; there are several free and paid services that will point you to where fires have been recorded over the last few years. I've tried a couple of the paid apps, and while they have some cool features (like tracking your steps, letting you record notes, and tracking others' finds), the free information is sufficient, and mushroom people tend to keep their spots a secret. Here are a few free resources:

• https://www.gaiagps.com/maps/source/usfires/

• https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map

• https://geo.wa.gov/datasets/wadnr::washington-large-fires-1973-2025

Make sure the burn you are targeting is in an area you are allowed to forage and learn about licensing and limits: https://www.pnwfungiforager.com/mushroom-foraging-101/foraging-rules-and-limits

Accessing Burns

Accessing the burns is often pretty difficult; many fires happen in steep territory and result in the closing of access roads. Be prepared for a hard hike over rough terrain. This is an activity that's not suitable for pets or those with mobility issues. Hunting the burn morels is usually a young person's game! Increase your chances of accessing a burn by researching ahead.

• Look for burns that are close to access roads, like forest service roads

• Check the park or forest's website to ensure the road is open

• Research your entry point on a map with elevation guides turned on, avoid entry points that require steep elevation gain/loss with no trail

When To Hunt Burn Morels

All morels like a ground temp of 50° F. In a healthy forest setting, we seek out companion plants like Trillium and Calypso Orchid to determine if the temperature is right. Healthy forests have more variability in temperature because of the dense plant life, meaning one side of the slope might be ready and the other is not. Depending on the severity of the burn you are hunting those clues may not be present but ground temperature measurements can also be more accurate. In general, you want the snow to have melted and night time temps to be 50° F or higher for at least a week.

Burn Morel Companions

I have the most luck hunting burn morels on the eastern slopes of the cascades in what was mostly pine forests. Burn morels can grow with most conifer types, but long needled pines yield the best results for me personally.

How To Identify Morels

Morels are a good beginner mushroom because they are easily differentiated from poisonous look a-likes by their honeycomb pitted caps, hollow stems, and caps that are fully integrated with their stem. Check out my pictoral ID check list, detailed description of all features, and handy side by side comparison of different morel species and look a-likes at: https://www.pnwfungiforager.com/morel-mushroom.

Finding Burn Morels

Like all morels, burn morels can be difficult to find and spot because heir darker caps can be difficult to see against the soot and debris and are shaped similarly to pine cones. In this (and other dark environments) it can help to seek out the whitish color of the stem and to neal down and look at a nearby horizon so that you can see their shape against the sky. In my experience you don't need buy fancy glasses or expensive apps to be a successful morel forager, you do need to:

• Train your eyes: practice by looking at as many photos of morels in their natural habitat as possible. See a list of my favorite resources.

• Persevere: all foraging comes with disappointing outings, learn to enjoy the walk in the woods and keep coming back.

• Be willing to pivot: great foragers change their elevation when the temps aren't right for their target. Morels grow at low elevations in the early spring and move up the mountains as the snow melts and the ground warms. If you're not having success after a couple hours, change elevations!

Happy hunting!