Even though forest fires can be beneficial, one forest fire can spark for a variety of different reasons as well as create an array of changes within a forests ecosystem.
Nearly 4 to 10 million acres of forest lands burn every year (Dickman,16). Today’s fires are sizably smaller than fires before the 20th century, where almost 30 million acres burned.
The sizeable difference with today’s fires is due to the intensity of which they burn (Dickman,16). Scientists at the Harvard school of Engineering and Applied Sciences, are predicting that by 2050, wildfire seasons will be three weeks longer and twice and smokey (Roberts,1). Severe storms and forest fires will increase due to gradual climate change in the coming years (Roberts,1). One study shows that lightning causes a quarter of forest fires where as humans are the cause for at least half of fires started (Economist, 2)
Fires are forces that performs not only beneficial but destructive roles within a forest. Some fires depending on where they are positioned can act almost as a tool. A fire can be used to cleanse areas that have plagued trees that have been impacted by insects and diseases. Fires can also remove dead debris and material on the forest …show more content…
When the organic matter is destroyed it causes the soil structure to break down. The loss of soil structure as well as of protective plant cover leaves the soils vulnerable to erosion. Silt is the most damaging pollutant after a wildfire, silt being carried to nearby rivers, streams and lakes after a heavy rain causes. The water quality is often critically affected by forest fires. A Large fires produce large amount of ash and soot, that can make its way into surface. Wildfires also directly affect timber resources, shelter, food as well as the water resources used for the wildlife that inhabit it. Often times, severe insect damaged follows extreme fires within a forest due to the exposed trees (Economist,
Nearly 4 to 10 million acres of forest lands burn every year (Dickman,16). Today’s fires are sizably smaller than fires before the 20th century, where almost 30 million acres burned.
The sizeable difference with today’s fires is due to the intensity of which they burn (Dickman,16). Scientists at the Harvard school of Engineering and Applied Sciences, are predicting that by 2050, wildfire seasons will be three weeks longer and twice and smokey (Roberts,1). Severe storms and forest fires will increase due to gradual climate change in the coming years (Roberts,1). One study shows that lightning causes a quarter of forest fires where as humans are the cause for at least half of fires started (Economist, 2)
Fires are forces that performs not only beneficial but destructive roles within a forest. Some fires depending on where they are positioned can act almost as a tool. A fire can be used to cleanse areas that have plagued trees that have been impacted by insects and diseases. Fires can also remove dead debris and material on the forest …show more content…
When the organic matter is destroyed it causes the soil structure to break down. The loss of soil structure as well as of protective plant cover leaves the soils vulnerable to erosion. Silt is the most damaging pollutant after a wildfire, silt being carried to nearby rivers, streams and lakes after a heavy rain causes. The water quality is often critically affected by forest fires. A Large fires produce large amount of ash and soot, that can make its way into surface. Wildfires also directly affect timber resources, shelter, food as well as the water resources used for the wildlife that inhabit it. Often times, severe insect damaged follows extreme fires within a forest due to the exposed trees (Economist,