Climate change effects on the wildfire regime or ability to use prescribed fire could benefit or disrupt oak forests.

Past management and wildfire suppression allowed oak associations to expand into barrens and pine forests, but continued fire suppression is allowing mesic species like red maple to invade these stands. Therefore, climate change influences on the wildfire regime and ability to apply prescribed fire will have consequences for oak associations. More surface fires could benefit oaks and allow for more natural oak regneration. A shift to more frequent crown fires could encourage a shift to pine forests and barrens. Finally, a continued lack of surface fires may continue to promote hardwood forests. The oak-dominated cover type may suffer from increased competition with more mesic hardwoods if fire suppression continues.