Forest fires promote new growth and the main problem we pay attention to is the strength and area of damage of each major fire. We understand the ecological benefits of a forest fire to allow for new growth and clear old dead growth. I believe that forest fires are a symptom and no the toot of the problem. The more we try to address it, the stronger the rebound effect. In my vision for the future, we should avoid using fire suppression techniques, prescribe controlled fires, and treat forest fires as a symptom of climate change rather than an isolated problem.
In this regard, the mountain pine beetle’s reach is limited by the temperature threshold. They have migrated north and eastward in Canada due to the warming temperatures that create a more comfortable environment for them. They kill large trees which in turn create dead kindling ready losing moisture to become fuel for forest fires come a hot season. The collateral damage caused by forest fires such as poor air quality, is due to climate change exacerbating the effects of forest fire. The guiding value in this case is to be conscious of the relationship between forest fires and climate change. The ingredients to induce a fire is amplified (higher temperature, less moisture) with increasing effect.
My intervention this week would be to reduce the fuel available in areas we are present in to limit the strength of the fire. The fires are qualitatively different because of the available fuel and temperature. I would motivate the tree planting careers, or informed hikers to collect unneeded deadfall. Deadfall should be collected from monocultures or other susceptible areas.
Hi!
Great post on highlighting forest fires and I really liked how you mentioned the connection between forest fires and climate change. It was really interesting to learn about the mountain pine beetles and their involvement in fires. Definitely more awareness need to be raised for this topic and your intervention idea is a great place for us to start!
Forest fires should be healthy and in fact healthy for the ecosystem. However, human intervention (eg fire suppression) and climate change is escalating these healthy fires into superfires. For sure active fuel removal can be a good solution in limiting extend and severity of forest fires. I think highlighting how climate changing has exacerbated forest fires is also very important, which allows people to address the problem from the root.
I agree, we love to suppress the issue rather than go out and do something about it. Carefully planned fires do more good than harm, they promote new growth among many other ecological benefits, but I think that people are set in their ways and are not willing to change for a better future. I understand that people have doubts and worries about planned fires, but they need to understand that they rarely do fires as such get out of hand.
The collection of deadfall is a really good way of limiting fuel for future fires. Do you think there is a method for making it mandatory for collection of deadfall for hikers?
Cleaning up deadfall seems to be a great idea as they tend to be very dry and could cause fires more easily.
Teaching more people about the possible effects of fire suppression is very important! Much of the public has negative opinions of every sort of fire, but by informing people about the potential benefits of prescribed fires, we could have more people on board.