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FROM THE EDITORS
FROM THE EDITORS
Ambling into Autumn
By Aishani Srikumar and Crystal Huang
Welcome to our October publication! We have added a couple of new aspects to this edition. As you will see below, we will now have a feature story on the main page that spotlights issues in our own community. This time we are focusing on wildfires, which are a growing issue worldwide as seen in California and Australia. Still, wildfires are a problem locally, so scroll down to learn more about how this seemingly distant issue is one we might soon be confronting closer to home.
The fall season is upon us, and our October issue is filled with stories and images highlighting what is for many the most popular season. Our Front Page tab contains a monthly feature story and letter from the editors while our Activities tab will be spotlighting monthly activities such as cheerleading, softball, and robotics as well. Next is our Community section which contains our BT Voices, Senior Advice, Dear Susie, a Halloween survey, and Community Service. Last but not least is our Culture tab which will continue to review books and movies, display art, and recipes. We are so excited to release our October publication and we hope you enjoy it!
FEATURE
FEATURE
A Burning Issue: What Western Wildfires Tell Us About Local Susceptibility
By Jack Cenovic
In recent years, the California wildfires have intensified, with this year’s fires perhaps the worst on record. The resulting haze and ash have traveled all the way to Europe and were even visible from Brownell Talbot.
While we may view these fires as distant, far off problems, susceptibility to such events exists right here in Nebraska and Iowa.
Prairies, which make up most of Nebraska, are adapted to wildfires. Their grasses are able to grow quickly after being burned, and fires serve beneficial ecological functions, such as clearing out dry, dead grass. When fires occur on prairies in Nebraska, the primary concern is for those farmers and ranchers living nearby.
This image shows the hazy skies over the BT campus in late September, a local reminder of how far the effects of the western wildfires can reach
Conversely, woodlands, which are especially abundant in Western Nebraska, are more susceptible to damage by wildfires. Woodlands are composed of a thick grass understory and densely populated trees. Since trees take long periods of time to regrow if burned, fires can devastate these ecosystems. Like prairies, woodlands evolved with wildfire over time. However, sometimes fires in woodlands can become so extensive that they are no longer beneficial for the flora and fauna. There is often concern for homeowners and farmers in densely wooded areas when fires occur, and they are generally more vulnerable than those living in prairies during wildfires. Furthermore, woodlands are not only common in Western Nebraska; they are also present closer to Omaha, such as at the Hitchcock Nature Center in Western Iowa. The micro ecosystem found here happens to feature silt accumulations, known as loess hills, which give the land its shape, and this phenomenon is found at only two places in the world.
In addition to vegetation, local climate can predispose areas to fires. Nebraska currently faces drought in several areas, with the Platte River Prairies in particular experiencing abnormally low rainfall. Chris Helzer, the Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science in Nebraska and author of The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States and Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter, explained in an interview with me that, “We can burn prairies any time of year, pretty much, because what carries a fire is the grass that’s dried out from previous growing seasons. But, a fire on a day when the grass is moist or when the soil below it is moist or when the air is humid is a much slower fire. It’s harder to start and it’s easier to put out.” This is why droughts, such as the current drought Platte River Prairie areas are experiencing, can be problematic.
Chad Graeve, a naturalist for Pottawattamie County who has participated in prescribed fire and wildfire in 11 states, said during an interview with me that climate change, as well as a lack of prescribed fires, have led to more intense wildfires: “When you get long stretches of dry weather and you get stronger winds, that means your fires can be more extreme as well. You couple that with our efforts all across the West to suppress fire, which allows more and more fuel to accumulate. So now you've got extreme weather patterns coupled with high fuel load, and what you have is a recipe for conflagration.” Essentially, attempting to suppress wildfires over time causes more fuel, in this case trees, to accumulate. That, coupled with a warming climate, has caused more intense wildfires to occur in the present.
Of course, Nebraska has not been untouched by wildfires. The Niobrara Valley fire of 2012 was one instance when extensive fires threatened a Western Nebraska woodland habitat. Fortunately, feared consequences, such as growth of invasive plant species and extensive erosion, did not occur. However, over 50,000 acres of land burned, as well as countless trees.
Alongside turkey vulture themed social distancing signs, I saw several signs warning of wildfire risk during a recent visit to the Hitchcock Nature Center, likely due to a combination of dry weather conditions and dense vegetation in certain areas. Due to its silt deposits, the Hitchcock Nature Center experiences dry growing conditions similar to much of Western Nebraska.
Fires aren’t always bad, though. The flora and fauna of Midwestern ecosystems have evolved with fire and adapted to it. Chad Graeve informed me in our interview that, “Whether it's the Loess Hills or the Platte Prairies, these are fire dependent systems. Fire was always part of these systems. It’s a natural process, whether it's wildfire or prescribed fire, so in both cases systems are going to respond in a positive way to those fires” These ecosystems have evolved with small, frequent fires, which do relatively little damage and benefit local flora and fauna. However, our efforts to suppress these small fires, especially in California, have led to larger, more consequential fires.
One of the most harmful consequences of the current fires in California has been a significant reduction in air quality for affected areas. Luckily, most fires occurring in Nebraska would not have the same effect. Reduction in air quality is largely dependent on the amount of land burned, and it would be difficult for the same amount of land to burn in Nebraska as California. Prescribed fires in Kansas have been known to reduce air quality in Lincoln, but, besides that, fires have had little effect on Nebraska air quality.
As it turns out, perhaps the best method of preventing large, devastating wildfires is to literally fight fire with fire. Chad Graeve, based on his extensive experiences with wildfires, explained to me that while prescribed fires are the best way to decrease available fuel load, most people are not willing to take the risk involved with prescribed fires: “If you're fighting a fire and you mess up, job well done. You were doing the best you could. If you're lighting the fire and you mess up, that's it, your career is over. It takes an incredible amount of courage to [light prescribed fires], and, especially out west, most people aren't getting the job done.” Unfortunately, our mentality towards prescribed fires hinders our ability to utilize them to prevent more damaging fires.
Terrifying as they are, wildfires have fostered Midwestern plant and animal life for thousands of years. In Chris Helzer’s latest book, Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter, he captured the striking biodiversity of one small plot of prairie in photos. In my interview with him, he told me that, “One of the great things about prairies is that there's always something different going on every time you visit and there's so much diversity of life out there that people are amazed at what you can find.” Based on my visit to the Hitchcock Nature Center, I can attest to this, as I saw frogs, fish, birds, insects, and more while walking along the trails. The Hitchcock Nature Center, due to its loess hills and unique microclimate, hosts plants found nowhere else in Western Iowa. Though large fires can be detrimental, small wildfires have shaped Midwestern ecosystems to produce what we see today.
After interviewing experts and researching wildfires and local ecosystems, I wanted to experience this article's topics firsthand, so I visited the Hitchcock Nature Center. The pictures accompanying this article were all taken while exploring the ridges, valleys, and ponds of this flourishing nature reserve.
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