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Modern forest management often engages in prescribed burns to mitigate fire risk and promote natural forest cycles. However, controlled burns can turn into wildfires by mistake. Wildfires can be classified by cause of ignition, physical properties, combustible material present, and the effect of weather on the fire. [5]
Wildfire recovery strategies are dependent on the intensity of the fire (scale of low to high), which determines the extent of fire damage and effective forest restoration. Low intensity fires consist of minimal damage to small trees without burning all of the forest and the majority of leaves still remain on the trees.
For example, the Forest Fire Emergency Fund Act of 1908 permitted deficit spending in the case of emergency fire situations. [4] As a result, the U.S. Forest Service was able to acquire a deficit of over $1 million in 1910 due to emergency fire suppression efforts. [4]
The rising temperatures cause massive wildfires especially in the Boreal forests. One possible effect is the change of the forest composition. [21] Deforestation can also cause forests to become more fire prone through mechanisms such as logging. [22]
Fire ecology is a scientific discipline concerned with the effects of fire on natural ecosystems. [1] Many ecosystems, particularly prairie , savanna , chaparral and coniferous forests , have evolved with fire as an essential contributor to habitat vitality and renewal. [ 2 ]
A major cause of the fires was attributed to the record high temperatures and severe lack of rainfall due to a dry winter. [9] The Uttarakhand forest fires also came as India suffered one of its worst droughts in years with the government noting that over 330 million people were affected by water shortages. [10]
More importantly, fires have long-term effects on the post-burn environment. Fires in seldom-burned rainforests can cause disasters. For example, El Niño-induced surface fires in central Brazilian Amazonia have seriously affected the habitats of birds and primates. [22] Fires also expose animals to dangers such as humans or predators.
The rising temperatures cause massive wildfires especially in the Boreal forests. One possible effect is the change of the forest composition. [137] Deforestation can also cause forests to become more fire prone through mechanisms such as logging. [138]