Fire Ecology?

What is fire ecology? Why should we care about it? Aren't fires natural disasters? These are all questions someone might have towards the idea of scientific research into fire and its seemingly counterintuitive use in habitat and ecosystem management practices. Follow along for a brief description of the history of fire as an ecological force and the present day perception of professionals like scientists and land managers. 

The History of Fire 

Far before the existence of humanity naturally occurring fires have introduced pressures to species living within landscapes subject to fire regimes. This interaction leads to the phenomenon of fire-adapted communities. Organisms within these ecosystems eventually adapt to the stress of wildfires, and the health of these communities become dependent on an active fire regime. 

Humans have been using fire to influence the landscapes they live in for millennia. As early as 92 kya evidence has shown that paleolithic humans have used fire to change how forest and grassland ecosystems grow and evolve (Thompson et. al, 2021). Indigenous Americans living on the Great Plains used fire in warfare and to shift the direction of buffalo herds. Eastern Woodland peoples would use fire to thin forests which led to more productive understories and room for agricultural land. This historical use of fire alongside wildfire regimes has created many landscapes that have adapted to coexist with the destructive forces of fire.

Management Mistakes: Fire as Friend or Foe?

You have probably heard of Smokey the Bear, the iconic US Forest Service mascot, and his iconic catchphrase "only you can prevent forest fires". This program lasted several decades from the onset of heavy resistance to wildfires after the catastrophic Great Fires of 1910 (National Forest Foundation, 2020). A newly charged Forest Service emerged viewing fire as its primary antagonist. In 1935 it was well disseminated policy that all fires should be suppressed by 10 a.m. the next day. It took decades of ecological research to build a case for fire as a naturally occurring process, and in the mid-1960s the Forest Service moved away from its unwavering suppression protocol to a more flexible, ecologically considerate process. The Forest Service now utilizes prescribed burning and fuel removal to reduce the potential for devastating wildfires and enhance the health of forest ecosystems. Some naturally ignited fires are allowed to burn in remote areas. Suppression still occurs as wildfire is a complex social, economic, and ecological issue and allowing fires caused by accident or arson to persist can lead to catastrophic consequences. Even now, Smokey Bear's motto now reflects this difference: "Only you can prevent wildfires". 

The Modern Scientific View Towards Fire

The field of fire ecology is deeply motivated by the interactions between biological communities and physical changes introduced into their respective ecosystems through the action of fire. Field work is very important for developing statistical models to represent these changes occurring in ecosystems. Studies in this field can determine complex relationships between certain species and fire regimes such as fire-adapted species. One example of this is a study determining how fluctuations in forest growth caused by fire can lead to changes in insect communities. As a result, certain bark-insectivore songbirds favor newly burned forest over birds that rely on herbivorous environments (Saab et al, 2007). Fire has an often nuanced effect on the ecosystems it is present in. Beyond ecological considerations fire can be examined as its own entity or in a socially scientific perspective. Many professionals conduct research into fire modeling which utilizes computer software to mimic the evolution of high-intensity fire and associated fire weather much like meteorologists will model super-cell thunderstorms or tornado formation. Fire also happens to be an economic and social concern. Wildland firefighters are often overworked, underappreciated, and fall victim to horrible health effects. Fire can cause extreme harm to life and natural resources, and those who live in areas subject to the effects of climate change and drought are more likely to be impacted. The scientific world of fire is very broad and includes interdisciplinary thought and problem solving. The field is always growing as we march into the future of broad scale fire regimes.