Positive Fire Essay

August, 1988. Yellowstone National Park was experiencing severe forest fires. The fires were so bad people stayed inside to avoid smoke in the air. People also drove with their headlights on to see through the smoke in the daytime. Can you believe that? I can, but this did not necessarily mean it was a bad thing. There were also positive changes to these amazingly sized forest fires. In my opinion, you will be amazed about the amount of positive changes the forest fires had on Yellowstone National Park. I’m sure you think fires just burn and destroy the ecosystem. WRONG. They also help stimulate growth for new vegetation. Burned plant particles have nutrients that soak into the ground. This helps plants and vegetation grow healthier. Also, when trees and plants burn down, more sunlight beams down. That helps the process in new plant life growth. As scientists and researchers studied these forest fires, they found plenty of evidence. This evidence proves that having periodic fires prevents the buildup of woody debris that can make fires much larger as well as stimulate growth in the forest. This can really benefit the ecosystem (even through it looks as if it’s destroying it). For years and years the burned areas will go through different stages as they recover. In the meantime, it benefits Yellowstone’s ecosystem. After these fires, it isn’t long before shoots begin to grow and the burnt areas begin to come back to life. Certain trees, such as the Douglas fir trees, have very thick bark that insulates the tree from the fires, preventing it from dying or falling. This could cause the spread of more fire. Other trees, such as the Lodge Pole pine, have thin bark which makes them burn faster and more readily in a fire. The Lodge Pole pine makes up eighty percent of the forest for Yellowstone Park. You probably did not know that when this tree burns, it produces cones that are glued shut by the resin of the tree. Only the heat of the fire opens them to disperse the seeds inside the cones. The seeds will produce when the ground has been cleared and enriched by the fire. The burnt down trees or dying trees provide homes for birds like woodpeckers and blue birds. Even though animals have died from the fires, the numbers are not significantly high. There was no significant effect on the population of Yellowstone’s animals. So, in closing, periodic fires are healthy for Yellowstone’s ecosystem. The fires provide change in the environment and also give the chance for new life to exist. Yes, fires destroy. But, they also provide for nature. Don’t get me wrong, fires are dangerous. But, they can be healthy for the environment if studied and controlled.

Bradley D Grade 9