Certain trees, such as the lodge pole pine, eucalyptus and the chaparral, use fire to kill off competition. They produce needles, oils, bark and stuff that is essentially fuel. Competition is other vegetation, houses, and everything in the forest.
After fires these trees are the first to reseed and then take over the burnt area.
Driving throug BC Canada several years ago, we passed through a high summit area that was thousands of acres of charred trees, standing and fallen, but the land was carpeted in a glorious growth of fireweed. A gorgeous sight.
