Forest Fires

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Forest Fires

• Amanda CuttingStephanie Kisel

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What is Fire?

• Fire is the heat and light energy releases during
  a chemical reaction. This is also known as a
  combustion reaction
• The color of the flame and the fires intensity
  varies
• Fire can usually be seen in three main colors
  red orange, white, and blue

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Components of Fire

• Fuel- material being burned
• Oxygen- needed for chemical reaction
• Heat- can be from lightning or human activity

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Flame Temperature and Color

• Temperatures of flames by appearance
• Red
• Just visible 525 C (977 F)
• Dull 700 C (1290 F)
• Cherry, dull 800 C (1470 F)
• Cherry, full 900 C (1650 F)
• Cherry, clear 1000 C (1830 F)
• Orange
• Deep 1100 C (2010 F)
• Clear 1200 C (2190 F)
• White
• Whitish 1300 C (2370 F)
• Bright 1400 C (2550 F)
• Dazzling 1500 C (2730 F)

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• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vtKfsFkb_9fIfeature
  related

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Starting of a Fire

• Fires start when a flammable and/or combustible
  material with a supply of oxygen or another
  oxidizer is subjected to enough heat and then
  sustains a chain reaction
• No fire can exist without all of these elements
  being in place

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Causes of Forest Fires

• Lightning
• Human carelessness
• Volcano eruptions and heat waves
• Droughts and cyclical climate changes
• Commonly occur during years of drought and on
  days of strong winds

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Stages of a Forest Fire

• Crawling fire the fire spreads via low level
  vegetation (e.g., bushes)
• Crown fire a fire that "crowns" (spreads to the
  top branches of trees) can spread at an
  incredible pace through the top of a forest.
  Crown fires can be extremely dangerous to all
  inhabitants underneath, as they may spread faster
  than they can be outrun, particularly on windy
  days.
• Jumping or spotting fire burning branches and
  leaves are carried by the wind and start distant
  fires the fire can thus "jump" over a road,
  river, or even a firebreak.

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Crown Fire
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Environments for Forest Fires

• Forest fires are found in many various places
• Moist areas allowing the growth of trees, but
  also feature extended dry, hot periods.
• Summer and autumn as well as during droughts when
  branches and leaves dry out and become highly
  flammable.
• Fires in forests that burn under natural causes
  become a problem when those forests are used for
  timber production.

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Benefits of Forest Fires

• Forest fires are a natural part of Earths
  ecosystem and are mandatory
• Fires allow for regeneration
• Fires promote biological diversity and healthy
  ecosystems

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• Removes dead, weekend trees, and plants
• Creates a more open forest floor which allows
  sunlight in for more growth
• Ash left behind puts nutrients into the soil
• Kills off invasive species allowing native
  species to regain territory

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Disadvantages of Forest Fires

• Loss of habitat for animals
• Soil damage which can result in erosion (rare)
• Uncontrolled burns can result in millions of
  dollars worth of property damage to homes or
  timber

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Fire Dependent Species

• These species depend on fire to survive and are
  depended upon by endangered species
• Wild LupineKarner Blue Butterfly
• Jack PineKirtlands Warbler

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Fire Adapted Species

• Longleaf Pine Spends first 5-10 years of its
  life growing a large taproot so it will be able
  to grow after a fire
• Ponderosa Pine- Thick bark to protect the insides
  of the plant from fire
• Lodge Pole Pine- Only releases seeds after
  intense heat of a fire

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Pioneer Species

• Cord Moss
• Fireweed
• Eucalyptus (Australia)

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Sources

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_fire
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire
• http//www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/forest-fir
  es
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vtKfsFkb_9fIfeature
  related
• http//www.nifc.gov/preved/comm_guide/wildfire/fir
  e_22o.html