Wednesday, 22 July 2020

FOREST FIRE


WHAT IS A FOREST FIRE?

Forest fire or wildfire is an uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation occurring in rural areas. The most prevalent forest hazard is forest fire. Fires in forests are as old as the woods themselves. They pose a threat to fauna and flora that seriously disturbs the biodiversity and ecology and environment of a region, not only to the wealth of the forests but also to the whole regime. The forests are littered with dry senescent leaves and twinges during the summer, when there is no rain for months, which could burst into flames ignited by the slightest spark.

One of the most several serious uncontrolled forest fires occurred in Australia very recently in June 2019 which is known as the 2019–20 Australian bush-fire season. As of 14 January 2020, this season's fires have burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres; 186,000 square kilometres; 72,000 square miles), destroyed more than 5,900 buildings (including 2,779 homes) and killed at least 34. An estimated one billion animals have been killed and may contribute to extinction of some endangered species. 

This article here explains forest fire and soil erosion event during the Late Devonian mass extinction.


CAUSES OF FOREST FIRE
Forest fires are both caused by natural causes and caused by mankind.
Natural causes: Many forest fires originate from natural causes like lightning that set trees on fire. Rain does extinguish such fires, however, without causing much damage. High atmospheric temperatures and dryness (low humidity) provide favorable starting circumstances for a fire.
Man-made causes: Fire occurs when a source of fire such as naked flame, cigarette, electrical spark or any ignition source comes into contact with flammable material.
Here is an article which explains causes and effects of forest fires in tropical rain forests in more detail.


HARMFUL EFFECTS OF WILDFIRES

Wildfires can have immediate and long term effects on river, lake and stream quality. Storm water runoff is the most notable impact wildfires have. After the vegetation loss, the soil on the ground becomes hydrophobic and prevents water from being absorbed. This inability to absorb water promotes the transportation of debris and sediment into larger bodies of water, further polluting valuable and essential resources.

In addition to this, wildfires also have an adverse effect on air quality which is both immediate and long term. As a forest burns, they release large amounts of smoke into the atmosphere. These particles of smoke are typically small and consist of gases and water vapor. Fire air pollution can travel long distances and can often pose a threat to human health.
Moreover, the flames from these fires destroy many animals’ food sources and homes and threaten their survival. They are susceptible to disease, fungus, and insects because of their decreased resistance following burn injuries for plants and trees that may survive the flames.

THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF WILDFIRES

While wildfires leave an enormous amount of destruction in their path, they also leave some beneficial qualities behind. To spread seeds and survive many plants require regular burns. Fires can also kill diseases and insects that can affect plants ' livelihoods, remove excessive debris from the forest floor, and allow more access to exposed sunlight nutrients. Low intensity fires clear out the underbrush and prevent future fire damage from spreading.
New grasslands are created after a wildfire and allow the change to benefit the grazing animals. This increase in the natural order of species allows for an ecological change that promotes growth and the continuous life cycle. Vegetation such as the fire-weed, requires fire disturbance to bloom and allow the re-growth of plants that have died due to the fire. As vegetation and plants die away, new life begins to heal and spring forth.


PREVENTION OF WILDFIRES

Most wildfires are preventable, unlike many natural disasters. The environmental and economic costs of wildfires have a long-lasting impact. We can lower the threats associated with these devastating tragedies by using caution, taking preventive measures and monitoring fires responsibly.


INFORMATION SOURCES







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FOREST FIRE

WHAT IS A FOREST FIRE? Forest fire or wildfire is an uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation occurring in rural areas...