Consequences of forest fires

Forest fires have different effects on the environment, depending on their size and frequency. Although the damage to the environment of a forest fire is evident, sometimes, it can also have positive consequences.

• The fires clean dead matter or in decomposition, which allows new plants to grow. It is a form of regeneration.
• Another benefit is the Ecosystem balance maintenance by eliminating harmful insects and sick plants. Here you can learn about the ecosystem in equilibrium: what is and how it is maintained.
• By destroying trees and shrubs, it can also increase the light that reaches the ground, which allows seeds to grow after a certain time after the forest fire.
• Sometimes forest fires increase the amount of diversity of plants and animals in an ecosystem.
• In fact, Some plants need a fire to germinate and grow. Here you can meet the so -called pyrophil plants: what are, types and examples.

When the frequency of forest fires in a specific region is high, the impact can be devastating.

• The natural cycles of forests are interrupted.
• Many living beings die.
• They can disappear native species.
• Forest fires CO2 levels increase (Carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and climate change.
• Ashes are generated and the nutrients of the earth are destroyed, causing the soil degradation and making it infertile.
• Fires in forested areas also cause Land deforestation and erosionpromoting floods and landslides.
• Also They contaminate water.
• In addition, at the socioeconomic level they affect the Loss of properties and infrastructure, whether private or public, loss of cropsetc.

Forest fires or fires in forests are sometimes caused by human being by negligence and other times occur naturally, although the latter occur much less frequently. Natural fires are produced by:

• Volcanoes
• Good heavens
• Spontaneous combustion
• Sparks caused by the detachment of rocks and landslides

However, most of the time, forest fires begin with human negligence:

• Piómanos
• Machinery producing sparks
• Bad cigarette butts
• Unattended fires
• Agricultural burnings
• Electric lines

We recommend you learn more reading about forest fires: what are, how types and parts are produced.

Finally, we will comment several tips to prevent forest fires, especially very useful to avoid those that are produced by human negligence.

• Do not throw butt or matches Or matches, since the minimal spark can produce a flame and from there a fire, especially in areas where there is dry plant matter.
• Do not throw glassplastic or glass bottles, cans, sprays or other combustible materials in the forests.
• Do not light fires Or fires in the forest, just do it in the areas conditioned for it with the indicated permission, because more than we believe we know how to control it, the fire can be outstered by a single spark when making a little wind.
• If you find traces of bonfires or Braws with embers, apágal them with water or a lot of landdo not pass by and leave them.
• If someone with suspicious behavior is observed, pulling any of the mentioned materials, making bonfires in non -enabled areas, etc. denounce it to the police.
• Do not enter with vehicles of any kind in risk areaswhere the soil has dry vegetation, such as thickets or herbs, since simple contact with the hot exhaust pipe, especially if it is a strong sun, can produce a fire.
• Place fire zones in the areas in which it is known that there is ease of fires, according to the history of other years or for the changes in the area and that promote this disaster.

In this article you can read more information about how to prevent forest fires or, you can see the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m_7dp6eqjw

In case we are in the situation of being in a fire in the forest and we ask ourselves what to do in a forest fire, it is convenient to follow these tips:

• Notify Emergencies or Police As soon as you have the suspicion that there is a fire, for example, as soon as smoke is seen. It is convenient to detail the location to emergency services.
• Observe the direction in which the fire moves and see if you can leave in the opposite direction easily, if so do it as soon as possible, always in the opposite direction to the wind since it guides the fire.
• Being in a wooded area on a mountain, you have to Lower the mountain As soon as it can be since the fire tends to climb and as long as it can continue to climb it will not extend so much to the side and even less down.
• If we go by car, it is best to close the windows and turn on the lights and only cross the burning area if the fire is not very widespread and it is necessary to flee in that direction due to the impossibility of escaping towards another. If the fire increases a lot it is better to turn the car.
• In case the fire surrounds us, it is best to search pieces of land that have already burned since the fire will not return to this area even if it surrounds us that has already been consumed.
• If the flames are very close and you cannot flee, it is best to try to cover with the fullest, dig a hole or lie on the ground using the maximum possible earth.
• Do not try to cross the flames, but if it is really essential you have to do it only if there is visibility of what is on the other side and moistening clothes well First, protecting the head with a wet cloth to be possible.

If you want to read more articles similar to Consequences of forest fireswe recommend that you enter our category of other environment.