Learn how a lack of periodic fire can be harmful for many ecosystems and lead to devastating wildfires.
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Over time, litter (mostly in the form of needles, leaves and dead vegetation) collects along the forest floor.
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New shrubs and small trees begin to grow, obscuring necessary sunlight and choking other native species.
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Seed germination of many plants is hindered as dense litter prohibits seeds from reaching the fertile mineral soil underneath top soil.
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Litter = fuel for fire.
As more time passes without fire, excessive litter builds up on the forest floor, trees and shrubs grow larger, vistas close, the forest gets denser and darker, and few new species can prosper.
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When unplanned fire is finally introduced, either through a lightning strike or someone being careless, it finds enough fuel to turn into a wildfire that burns intensely and rages out of control.
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The aftermath of many wildfires can be severe. Often a forest and its essential organic materials are completely burned, leaving very little behind in the wildfire’s scorched path.
The forest or other burned ecosystem will regenerate, but depending on the intensity of the wildfire, it can take years or even decades for a forest to regenerate.
