Why are forest fires sometimes good?

We here in the great state of New York live in a fairly natural disaster free region. The threat of massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or all-consuming wildfires is relatively minimal. read more

Regular fire prevents the sort of fuel build-up that leads to catastrophic blow-ups like the Yellowstone fires of 1988. Land managers will often intentionally set controlled fires for exactly this purpose, which is referred to as Hazardous Fuel Reduction. read more

Despite the damage that can occur to property and people, good things can come out of forest fires, too. Forest fires are a natural and necessary part of the ecosystem. Even healthy forests contain dead trees and decaying plant matter; when a fire turns them to ashes, nutrients return to the soil instead of remaining captive in old vegetation. read more