Fire can have some exciting effects on the fertility of forests and ecosystems. Usually, fire results in the deposition of ash into the soil without the soil being burned too much. If a forest has unusually dense and dry humus, this will be burned, too; this can profoundly affect the soil's microbiome.
Deposition of ash chemically changes the soil; if there are pH changes, this can change the amounts of ions available in the soil as organic residues present in the soil will release nutrients during a pH change. This interaction has been known since maybe even before humans fully understood agriculture. Using this method for forest management has consistently resulted in fertile forests for years. This fire can also be seen as a primary function of the nutrient cycle and should not be ignored if we scientifically understand the basis of this fertilization function.
Fire as a natural force should be seen as good in the correct context; we should celebrate this effect!
Our identity as a province is built on our fertile forests, so we should integrate fire biology into our management practices on a large scale! This helps us manage the risk of dangerous massive forest fires and fertilize our forests. I think BC has had a terrible record with forest management in the context of climate change. Increased severity of forest fires may be one of the most visible and prevalent impacts of climate change we will face in our province, we should not be ignoring these signs, and we should choose to manage our forests in a more sensible way for our future.
hey maia :) amazing points!! I feel that sharing more about the specifics of how fire can be life bringing can change the discourse that sees fire as always destructive....perhaps this misunderstanding also speaks to a lack of scientific literacy within the wider population.
I didn't know the type of changes that fires can cause in soil, that is very cool and interesting that it isnt talked about and used more. I think most people assume fire is always bad and not realize the wide array of benefits it can provide.
Hi Maia, I completely agree with you that a shift in collective mindset with regards to forest fires is over due. I think that we need to spread the word about the benefits of small forest fires to the richness of forest ecosystems to help the public accept and support controlled planned burns to prevent the big destructive blazes that we've seen in recent years in BC.
Hi Maia,
I agree with you that fires are actually quite important for ecosystems. Integrating forest fire management should be done smoothly to ensure our ecosystems are still thriving.
Great point about how important fire is for an ecosystem! Fire can also increase and maintain species diversity by preventing one species from dominating during succession. Perhaps the challenge will also be to figure out how we can see fire as a positive force, while also protecting people from the damaging effects of smoke or to reduce the duration that that smoke persists.
Hi, Maria, I agree with the idea that regarding forest fire as a natural force and we are supposed to manage them with wise and concern, fire biology could be a crucial indicator for further forest management.
Moreover, for documenting and analyzing forest fire, I think the current study of applying machine learning and artificial intelligence would be a useful approach to monitor and manage the vast forests continuously and efficiently.
Totally agree with you Maia! I think a lot of traditional (more like colonial) resource management strategies are surrounded by maximizing short term yields and harvests rather than the health and sustainability of the ecosystem. And having occasional healthy fires is definitely not helping with the short term harvest even though it will beneficial for the long term. Forest managers have to change their mindsets and to acknowledge that working with natural cycles is the more sustainable way out of this situation.
Forest management may be a way to reduce fire potential.