The hawks were waiting for the fleeing smaller animals. The crows and ravens were attracted by the insects that were flying in the air. Since there were areas that hardly burned, ground-feeding birds were soon back. Despite the intensity of the fire and the severe burning they received, the large oaks on Stunt Ranch survived. Most mature oaks were just singed.
Oaks have a thick bark which greatly increases survival for the core trunk.
Surviving oaks sprout from branches and stems after a fire. Beetles are attracted to oaks after a fire. Birds and animals eat the beetles. Fires prune the trees, kill the population of pests and rid the trees of the parasitic mistletoe. Because of the natural processes at work, oaks can take hundreds of years to die.