Underground regenerative structures are generally well protected by overlying layers of soil. Postfire mortality is apparently low.
Plants commonly sprout from underground rhizomes after aboveground foliage is consumed by fire.
Some seedling establishment may occur as birds and mammals transport seed from off-site. Recovery of hillside blueberry is typically rapid. Although hillside blueberry generally increases after fire, small reductions have been noted on certain sites. Clones of lowbush blueberries such as hillside blueberry persist for years on undisturbed sites. Studies in these contaminated communities indicated that many species, normally favored by fire, were weakened by exposure to high soil levels of zinc and did not assume prominence on burned sites.