A Healthier Forest
By Liana Spano

Flames lick the tops of trees. The intense heat surrounding the forest has risen several degrees. You and your family were evacuated an hour ago, and just in time too. The fire is a crown and within a quarter mile of the house gaining ground rapidly. Firemen on the scene spray a continuous stream of water on the outer flames lower to the ground. As the fire comes within ten feet of the house, a miracle happens. There is a change in the wind blowing the fire in a different direction. The fire workers take advantage of the change and soon the fire is out completely. This is what happens when fire suppression is conducted. Fire suppression is when fire is prohibited because of fear and safety. Many forests are resistant to fire. The fire that you just imagined was an actual fire that happened at my house in L.A. The buildup of brush, pine needles, and dead twigs gather on the ground inviting wildfires to consume a feast of fuel. Many forests have too many trees that crowd together competing for needed resources. There are also many beautiful plants that have adapted to and need fire to grow.

Fallen pine needles and dead twigs are great kindling for forest fires. Sparks ignite them which causes the surrounding brush to blaze up into the crowns of the trees. If there are not forest fires every 3-4 years or so, there is a greater risk of large crown fires. In order to keep a forest healthy and people safe, low intensity fires must be lit [to] clear away the natural fuel that feeds the fires. With out these fires, the risk of a deadly crown fire increases.

Long ago, when there were wildfires that burned "freely" through the wilderness, the fires killed the dying, old, and unhealthy trees leaving space for new growth and less competition for nutrients, water, and light. Without those fires, trees have overpopulated, caught many disease and sicknesses, and are less resistant to fires. When trees overpopulate, it is called a dog hair thicket. Dog hair thickets are many trees growing too close together than necessary. There used to be around forty trees to an acre, but now there are about two thousand to an acre. Not good! Now a day there is mechanical thinning and prescribed burning to clear away most brush. Citizens can also build more fire resistant houses out of metal, concrete, and add special fireproof windows.

Have you ever thought that the forest has never looked so beautiful? Well, you're wrong about that. There are many trees and plants that need fire to grow and rejuvenate. The sequoia red woods, for example, need fire to reproduce. The fire and heat open the seedpods releasing seeds. Then, in fertile rich soil, the seeds would sprout growing into great sequoia redwoods. Pines also release their seeds during fires. Pretty Face and other pretty flowers need fire to crack the seeds open for sprouting.

With the amount of brush and buildup of dead leaves and twigs, there is a greater risk of major fires unless there are low intensity fires lit to clear away all the fuel fires need to "fire away." Dog hair thickets grow to two thousand trees to an acre. Many beautiful plants have adapted to fire to their advantage using it to reproduce and grow. Many people are afraid [of] fire, but if we all worked together, we can reduce the risk of fire and have less to be frightened about when concerning fire. It also makes out world a more beautiful and safer place to be.