The flash of lightning and the boom of thunder are a predictable part of summer weather in California's forests. These lightning storms bring with them the possibility of forest fires.
Fire has always been a driving force of change in the forest. Over time, it has shaped and reshaped ourforests, causinf changes in both the kinds of plants and trees that make up a forest as well as the species of animals that make the forest their home. Native Americans and early settlers used fire as a tool to clear land and maintain vegetation favorable for food gathering, wild game and livestock.
Fire continues to play an important role in today's forests. We place important values on our forests for clean water, wood products, recreation, wildlife and rural development; each of these can be affected by wildfire.
California's Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) are licensed by the State to act as stewards of our forests and wildlands, and this includes managing the role of fire in these areas. The followinf has been written by foresters to present some of the facts about the role of fire in California's forests.
What role did fire have in the forests before European man arrived ?
Fires caused by lightning burned freely where fuel was available. Fuel included grass, brush and trees in the understory, the underlying layer of vegetation. Fire would also burn into the upper most branches of the trees, called the canopy, reaching the tree tops by a "fuel ladder". This fuel ladder resulted from a build up of brush and young trees which allowed the fire to travel from the ground up through the brush and small trees and into canopy of the forest. This would result in the complete killing of the tree, or groups of trees, as the fire spread. The natural fires left the forest with a mosaic of trees and openings with a variety of understory plants. The fire thinned the dense groups of trees and removed dead brush and small trees in the understory, but sometimes completely burned large areas.
Why are wildfires now put out aggressively ?
The destructive force of a wildfire is truly awesome and frightening. Wildfires have been aggressively put out since the early 1900’s. as Californians began to settle the land and see the value of the trees, water and wildlife, they felt the destruction from wildfires was not acceptable. The benefit which fire had of clearing out the underbrush was outweighed by the loss of young trees and the increased erosion after a fire. Wildfire also became an increasing threat to lives as more and more people populated the state.
Are California’s forests burning hotter than before ?
Yes. Over the last 80 years, fire suppression has allowed our forests to become dense with brush and young trees in the understory. A combination of fire suppression and this build up of vegetation has created fuel ladders, resulting in less frequent fires but much larger and more catastrophic crown or canopy fires. Crown fires are very destructive and difficult to control.
What is the solution to the build-up in California’s forests ?
Foresters view the results of fire suppression as both good and bad. Suppression has allowed the younger trees to grow and provide the wildlife habitat and wood products we all desire. The increase in fuel ladders has largely been a consequence of not thinning, or selectively removing, the young trees. As the dense thickets of trees have begun to die from insects and drought, the build-up of fuel has become a problem.. One of the solutions foresters are using is to thin the forest. The small trees removed in thinning are used for the generation of electricity and for other wood products, such as paper, chips and lumber.