In 1955 a campfire near Waterrock Knob in the Plott Balsam Mountains escaped and burned about one hectare of mature red spruce-Fraser fir forest. The resultant forest community contains some of the species commonly associated with mature logged spruce-fir forests, but many of the species present are primarily disturbance species associated with fire cherry communities and grass and heath balds. A severe fire, burned soils, and erosion are probably responsible for the dense shrub layer, unique species composition, and slow recovery of this site.