When large aspens burn and die, they send hormones through their roots to root suckers telling them to sprout. We can expect to see a forest floor full of aspen seedlings next year. Soil erosion may be a problem. The head of Bright Angel Creek drainage was severely burned and there is no herbaceous structure left to hold soil in place. A heavy monsoon season would likely wash a lot of soil into this drainage and could potentially cause flooding problems down canyon.
Fires are surprisingly selective, leaving live trees right next to blackened dead trees.
Some trees can withstand a fair amount of scorching and still survive. The Outlet Fire burned in a typical mosaic pattern which is reflective of varying fuel types. Wet meadows and stands of young trees do not burn as readily as old forests with large accumulations of fuel.