Cleansed by Flame
Fire by its nature is destructive. It consumes and alters the state of matter. When fire burns through the forest, it leaves in its wake a sea of soot and ash. It's easy to see how observing the woods in this condition could be alarming to some. But for those who understand the role of fire in certain forested communities, it is a most welcome site. We know that it won't be long until life returns, with forms and grasses resprouting from intact roots, nourished by the minerals left in the fires wake, and benefitting from increased sunlight and reduced competition from the removal of woody plants in the understory.
Periodic low intensity fires are crucial for the maintenance of certain communities. These types of fires would have historically been started by lightning strikes in the hotter, drier months. Today, however, naturally occurring fires in the eastern U.S. are relatively rare. As a result, land stewards employ prescribed fire as a management tool. Unfortunately, these are often performed in the cooler, wetter months, which results in issues such as less efficient control of encroachment by woody species, and favoring a different herbaceous community.
Frequent low intensity fires also helps to reduce woody fuel load. Many of the mega fires observed in the western U.S. have resulted from unnaturally high fuel load brought on by fire suppression.
Fire ecology is a fascinating, important subject. Pictured here is a controlled burn in a longleaf pine savanna in the Angelina National Forest. Fire and longleaf are inextricably linked, and I have discussed this relationship in previous posts for anyone interested.
Cleansed by Flame
Fire by its nature is destructive. It consumes and alters the state of matter. When fire burns through the forest, it leaves in its wake a sea of soot and ash. It's easy to see how observing the woods in this condition could be alarming to some. But for those who understand the role of fire in certain forested communities, it is a most welcome site. We know that it won't be long until life returns, with forms and grasses resprouting from intact roots, nourished by the minerals left in the fires wake, and benefitting from increased sunlight and reduced competition from the removal of woody plants in the understory.
Periodic low intensity fires are crucial for the maintenance of certain communities. These types of fires would have historically been started by lightning strikes in the hotter, drier months. Today, however, naturally occurring fires in the eastern U.S. are relatively rare. As a result, land stewards employ prescribed fire as a management tool. Unfortunately, these are often performed in the cooler, wetter months, which results in issues such as less efficient control of encroachment by woody species, and favoring a different herbaceous community.
Frequent low intensity fires also helps to reduce woody fuel load. Many of the mega fires observed in the western U.S. have resulted from unnaturally high fuel load brought on by fire suppression.
Fire ecology is a fascinating, important subject. Pictured here is a controlled burn in a longleaf pine savanna in the Angelina National Forest. Fire and longleaf are inextricably linked, and I have discussed this relationship in previous posts for anyone interested.