Late summer and fall moisture deficits and prolonged higher temperatures may increase fire risk in central oak-pine forests, especially in places where vegetation dries or coarse woody debris accumulates from natural mortality or storm damage.

Low to moderate fire intensity may benefit oak and pine species, but high-intensity fire can be fatal to trees.Many species tolerate or are adapted to dry soil conditions and fire, although young trees may be sensitive to severe drought and high-intensity fire. A history of fire suppression and increasing shade in the forest understory has facilitated shifts to more mesic conditions in some places and has promoted northern hardwood species like red maple, American beech, and tulip tree. Where mesic conditions have developed, regeneration of oak and pine species have become a notorious forest management challenge which may impact the future composition and distribution of this community.