Aidan Risberg - Fighting Fire With Fire (to have a cliché title)




A handful of blog posts ago, all of us (or at least most of us) read about wildfires in California, and how they are such a volatile danger. It only takes a spark on a dry day to birth an inferno that engulfs homes and forests alike. Obviously, this is an issue that is taken very seriously by anyone who puts value in not being on fire. However, one of the better solutions happens to be more counter-intuitive: light the forest on fire on purpose.

This is obviously over simplified, so let me explain. A controlled burn takes all of the positive after effects of a wildfire on our terms. Skilled firefighters and park rangers can keep it contained exactly in the area they want, and can provide immense benefits to the environment. After a fire, many resources (such as carbon or nutrients)formerly locked away in dead plant matter are released into the surrounding environment. If you remember our discussion of Yellowstone, a few years after the devastating 1988 wildfire, everything was back stronger than before. The hope of a controlled burn is to achieve that without the property damage and lives lost.







Ok, so we all understand that a fire can be useful for an ecosystem, but have I gone so far as to say that it is an essential part of maintaining a healthy forest (or grassland or whatever). I’m glad you asked, hypothetical classmate. What happens over time is the buildup of organic matter on the forest floor. During a particularly dry season, all of these twigs, sticks, and whole trees become bone dry, and are just waiting for the hint of an idea of a suggestion to ignite. If that dead matter is just allowed to gather without any sort of a damper, any genuine wildfire (one that catches authorities off guard) will spread faster than greased lightning. By removing the dead matter from the floor, the forest is protected from any future fires that may or may not decide to mosey on through the country

So, to paraphrase Smokey the Bear, “Only you can start wildfires”.





Or something like that.






Here’s some food for thought:
What could be some potential negative side effects of a controlled burn that is too large?
What are some other solutions to problems that seem counter-intuitive?
Are there any areas of the community/world that need to have a controlled burn?
Is it weird that we cook bacon and bake cookies?





Sources:
https://smokeybear.com/en/about-wildland-fire/benefits-of-fire/prescribed-fires

Comments

Anonymous said…
I knew that the occasional forest fire was actually healthy for the environment, but I did not realize a possible postive thing could be to light the forest on fire on purpose. I was under the impression that any human-started fire would be bad, but obviously that is not the case. Having the purposefully started fire remove the dead matter to protect the forest is a clever idea, but it is also quite risky. The precautions to make sure the fire does not get out of control must be immense in order to successfully undergo such a risky maneuver.
March 29, 2019 at 7:37 AM
Anonymous said…
We often look at the negatives of humans on environmental impacts, but humans carry the potential to help create a better world environmentally, even with the very symbols of destruction themselves. Not only do controlled burns help remove the old, but many organisms revolve around fires to usher in the new, to the point where organisms evolve around these fires happening. Many pinecones require extreme heat to release their seeds. As such, without these fires, a birth of a new forest would be much harder, and these seeds get to develop when resources such as carbon are most available.
March 29, 2019 at 8:51 AM
Anonymous said…
It is very interesting that a force so destructive could also create benefits for ecosystems. As we’ve learned and as you mentioned, controlled burns return nutrients to natural ecosystems. However, if a controlled burn gets out of control, the fire can spread quickly and cause more damage than help to the ecosystem. Additionally fires in general are a threat to any organism living in the effected area, but especially smaller organisms that increase the biodiversity of areas and are low in numbers (they could be wiped out by fire, even by accident). Thus, it is extremely important that firefighters exercise extreme conscious while conducting controlled burns to avoid adverse environmental effects.
March 29, 2019 at 9:18 AM
Anonymous said…
It’s weird to think that problem of forest fires could be the solution for itself, but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. The reason forest fires have been occurring at such alarming intensity and rate is because we don’t let natural fires occur. The accumulation of dead organic matter that would’ve been burned off naturally accelerates the process. While putting out fires prematurely saves the wildlife initially, we aren’t doing the ecosystem any good by tampering with its natural process. By thinking more about the long term consequences rather than the short term will help us prevent issues like these in the future.
March 29, 2019 at 11:24 PM
Anonymous said…
Although we tend to view fires as disaster, the effects of what a controlled fire could bring about are extremely beneficial. The great thing about fires is that they can add nutrients back into the environment that were held in dead matter and they can also help kill disease. However, controlled fires are somewhat harmful as they can bring about localized air pollution as well as cause soil erosion to occur. California is a state well known for having wildfires occur, but perhaps these could be prevented with controlled burns carried out by professionals. The cause for these wildfires is dead biomass accumulating plus the effects of drought, leading forests to becoming very vulnerable. But, with controlled fires, this issue could be combated.
March 31, 2019 at 7:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Controlled burns may not be a good option for areas where it is economical or practical. Exact fire prescriptions are developed by fire managers and are based on weather, moisture content of the fuels, and how the fire can be lit. Laws and regulations also determine when a fire can be started, more specifically, air quality regulations. It's a more complicated process than it appears, so it may not be plausible for all areas.
March 31, 2019 at 3:00 PM
Anonymous said…
This is a very informative post! By listening to lectures, I had previous knowledge that occasional forest fires are good for the environment and ecosystems. What I did not know is that intentionally starting forest fires are good for the environment. These fires can add nutrients back into the soil and environments. I think one of the precautions we would need to take is to not let these fires get out of control. Maybe, have a firefighting team on standby when lighting these fires.
March 31, 2019 at 3:39 PM
Anonymous said…
This is a very interesting topic and one that I don’t think that many of us think about. I feel like sometimes many of us forget that many of the things that happen naturally in the world have a use outside of the one that is useful to us humans. We often get caught up with the idea that everything has to provide for us and if it doesn’t that it should be destroyed, and sometimes that it not the case. A common thread that I have noticed in a lot of blog posts are that people don’t realize the positive effects of some natural occurrences and I feel like instead of trying to control every aspect of the world, we should try to make it easier on ourselves and let nature do its things.
March 31, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Anonymous said…
Quite an interesting post. One may think that preventing or deterring a problem with a similar source of that is derived from problem is impossible and illogical. However, the nature and its working system is tends to stay unpredictable and mysterious. The nature can present both problems and solutions for humans to resolve and created a balance. It is important for us to always seek for solutions that may come from unexpected sources.
April 1, 2019 at 6:19 AM
Anonymous said…
It is weird that we bake cookies and cook bacon. It is rather ironic in a way that us burning our forests is used to protect them. However, it is so important to our safety that we conduct controlled burns over letting someone throw a cigarette out of a window into a rich dead organic matter forest that leads to burning down a town. What is worrying, however, is that I heard from a friend that some small towns aren’t big enough for actual fire departments so they have volunteer ones, but these volunteer ones do not know how to create and control controlled burns. While people can come and teach them, this is just something to keep in mind.
April 1, 2019 at 6:29 AM
Anonymous said…
The idea of a controlled burn has always puzzled me, and your post has certainly cleared up some misconceptions for me. As long as adequate fire and safety staff are patrolling the area and completely in control, these burns are great for our environment. I’m pretty sure we did a burn on the Flower Mound a few years back, no? I wonder how much that helped. As for the cookies and bacon... How come we park on the driveway and drive on the parkway?
April 1, 2019 at 6:49 AM
Anonymous said…
It initially seems very contradictory that burning a forest can be beneficial to ecosystems, but your blog post was very informative and interesting. Many national parks have instituted controlled burn to restore nutrients and prevent worse forest fires. The wild fires in California could have been prevented and the forest could have actually been benefited by controlled burns. So, even though burning forests to prevent wild fires seems contradictory, they are very beneficial.
April 1, 2019 at 10:03 AM
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
April 1, 2019 at 11:28 AM
Anonymous said…
These types of burns have several benefits, from maintaining the health of an existing natural area containing native plants to managing weeds and other growth. Controlled fires can prove to be a solution to combat environmental damage and disasters, especially when undertaken in ideal circumstances. For example, conditions that are checked to determine optimal burn weather include: temperature, humidity, wind speed, and a number of indexes (Air Quality Index, Haines Index, Mixing Height, Ventilation Rate, Transport Winds and Direction, and Site Fuel Composition).
April 1, 2019 at 11:31 AM
Anonymous said…
It is interesting that something that we have been taught is inherently harmful — wildfires — can actually be beneficial to the environment. In fact, I believe it is the responsibility of certain government agencies, such as the National Forest Service, to set controlled fires. In fact, on their website, the National Forest Service says that one of the reasons they set controlled burns is because they need to make sure that uncontrollable fires don’t start spontaneously. However, both planned and unplanned events can result in smoke; this smoke, a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plants , hurts the eyes, irritates the respiratory system, and worsens chronic heart and lung diseases. In fact, from wildfires can travel long distances, which that residual smoke can threaten the health of individuals living a significant distance from any wildfire. So, we must consider the risks and negative effects of wildfires, whether they be planned or unplanned.
April 1, 2019 at 3:39 PM
Anonymous said…
While I am a bit worried that you're a secret pyromaniac (kidding (maybe)), you do have a point. The ash that comes from the fire is full of nutrients and makes for a great fertilizer for any new plant life that will come back during secondary succession. Also, I think that California needs to have more controlled burns. While it seems like nature wants to accomplish this on its own since California is always on fire, if we were able to get rid of the extremely volatile dead matter, I think we could reduce the chances of an uncontrolled and devastating fire taking hold in the future.
April 2, 2019 at 4:15 PM
Anonymous said…
Controlled burnings are a perfect example of balancing human needs with nature’s needs. They provide the necessary natural processes that the environment relies on while allowing humans to live safely nearby. It’s probably a good idea to keep these burns to a relatively small size though, as too large of a burn may end up being too big to effectively control and easily get out of hand. In conjunction to this, however, it’s also probably a good idea to adapt human living establishments to the general climate of the area to account for the potential dangers that things like controlled burnings can pose.
April 2, 2019 at 4:39 PM
Anonymous said…
It is very interesting that something that sounds very dangerous to the environment is in fact rather helpful. Fires can release these necessary nutrients from dead plants and organic matter which can help to revive a weak forest or make one stronger all together. Although this sounds very beneficial, a controlled fire that spread too far can have some damaging results. First, this uncontrolled fire can harm or ruin many habitats of animals or harm the animals altogether. The large fire can also harm the forest itself.
April 2, 2019 at 6:15 PM
Anonymous said…
I found your post very interesting. It's funny to think that we burn forests on purpose to protect them. I did some research and learned that while controlled fires are beneficial for forests there can be negative effects as well. Sometimes firefighters aren't properly trained or knowledgable about intentionally set fires so they end up being set incorrectly which ultimately harms the forests.
April 2, 2019 at 8:20 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a very interesting blog post. I knew that occasional fires were beneficial to the forest ecosystem, but I never imagined that a controlled burn could have so many benefits. Not only would it return nutrients to the soil, it would also prevent devastating forest fires. I think with proper training and education, controlled burns could be instrumental in saving forests, but more importantly, human lives.
April 3, 2019 at 3:43 PM
Anonymous said…
Controlled fires are absolutely beneficial for the environment. An occasional prescription may suffice, though it may not be a good idea to increase the frequency of these fires; let nature do the work, so long as it does not pose a threat to property and humans. The global frequency of harmful forest fires has actually decreased in the past few decades, which can be attributed to the development of third-world nations and their progression from slash-and-burn agriculture to more modernized methods of agriculture. In California, however, the issue of controlled fires is controversial, since the Californian forests seem to spread fires quickly.
April 4, 2019 at 2:45 PM
Anonymous said…
This blog post was very enlightening. After being taught for many years that forest fires are just bad, I never understood their benefit for the environment. After doing further research, I found that these forest fires can also clear the thick growth of trees and other plants so that the sunlight can reach the other plants and encourage the growth of native species, in order for these plants to thrive among other invasive and native species. Although these fires might be beneficial, they still need regulation, as these fires do provide large amounts of damage to the environment and people.
April 4, 2019 at 4:35 PM
Anonymous said…
What an interesting topic! I’ve heard of controlled burns being implemented in national parks like Yellowstone to help simulate natural catastrophes and stimulate the growth of plant and animal species. I never quite understood how such events, typically associated with destruction and death, could actually bring benefits if prescribed correctly in natural ecosystems- until now. We do need to take legislative precautions, however, to ensure that controlled burns will positively encourage growth, not damage, animals and humans in the environment.
April 4, 2019 at 7:45 PM
Anonymous said…
I have heard of controlled fires being used to benefit ecosystems before, and I greatly enjoyed your blog. I thinks it’s really interesting how portions of land can be burned to prevent fires from further spreading. It create creates a barrier that prevents already huge fires from become even bigger. Forest fires can be devastating, but we are continually gaining new ways to stop and prevent these catastrophes.
April 5, 2019 at 10:58 AM
Anonymous said…
This is a very fascinating topic! I was aware of the potential benefits that forest fires could provide to ecosystems. In additional research, I found that when a controlled fire rages through dry underbrush in forests, it can clear thick growth so that sunlight can reach the forest floor and encourage the growth of the native species of that ecosystem. Native animals and vegetation can be encrouaged by forest fires as they safely reduce the excessive amounts of shrubs, trees, and brush. It is interesting how a phenomenon that is usually destructive can be beneficial and helpful to the environment.
April 5, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Anonymous said…
This post was really interesting! I find it so fascinating that a devastating issue such as forest fires can also be a solution. Although fires are typically seen as destructive, they can also add tons of nutrients back to the environment as well as encourage the growth of native species of the ecosystem. Additionally, although the idea of controlled burns seems like a great solution for some regions, it may not be the best option for areas where it is not economically reasonable. However, with some government regulation and planning, all areas can find a sustainable method to add nutrients back.
April 5, 2019 at 8:22 PM
Anonymous said…
I had no idea that fires can actually help an environmental. Not only can they introduce nutrients back into ecosystems, but they can also encourage vegetation and native species to reproduce. It’s fascinating that something like a forest fire can be beneficial if planned correctly, while also being detrimental if it starts randomly. If we were able to properly plan, coordinate, and prepare, these fires may bring many bendits to the environment.
April 5, 2019 at 9:15 PM
Anonymous said…
I really like your post, your title is creative, thank you for educating us on what a big problem this actually is and how we can counter it with burning. I didn't realize before that fires can actually help, since like many others, I have only seen the devastating impacts of fires on places such as homes and forests. However, now I understand that when fires are actually controlled, they can combat and prevent certain environmental disasters. The problem is we need to make sure that these fires remain controlled and do not get out of control, and this can be done by keeping track of conditions.
April 5, 2019 at 10:53 PM
Anonymous said…
I find the idea of a controlled fire being able to put out an uncontrolled on every unique. Your blog was very detailed and showed me exactly how this process works and why a controlled fire is able to put out a wild one. Unfortunately, fire is still fire, so allowing the controlled fire to grow too large will simply expand the wildfire to even more than it would have been. At the same time, controlled burns are used in many instances in addition to putting out wildfires. They are also used in agriculture to clear land while retaining organic matter to fertilize the soil.
April 5, 2019 at 11:08 PM
Meredith Miller said…
It’s always enlightening to understand to different effects humans can have on the environment. Especially because setting a fire seems to be an obviously destructive thing to the environment. I found that Air regulators and fire officials say that to promote prescribed burns will require better public education about their relative hazards. Last year, a groundbreaking study concluded that wildfire smoke contains three times as much pollution as smoke from prescribed fires.
April 6, 2019 at 9:50 PM
Anonymous said…
We often look at the negatives of a human started fires, so to read this post was very enlightening! There will always be pros and cons to every situation, and I believe this is a perfect example. However, I too believe like a few posts before that there can be negatives to this possible idea. Fire is a very dangerous and unpredictable act of nature that can often lead to destruction upon our habitat. If we are to take fire on as a benefit to our enviroment, we should definitely start with the other damages humans impact the enviroment before we can move on to make it better.
April 7, 2019 at 9:23 PM
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