Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Wildland fire is an essential natural process:

Fire is neither good nor bad but rather a fundamental component of forest ecology. Fire experts and research findings agree that fire has played a crucial role in shaping our wildlands for thousands of years, and is vital for the survival of many plants and animals. Historic patterns of wildland fire varied from one place to another, depending on climate, type of vegetation, and human influence. Present fire patterns differ substantially from historic patterns partially due to past suppression efforts, but also to climatic effects. The effects of fire range from subtle to extreme and are influenced by the condition of the fuels that burn and the landscape and weather variables that directly affect the fire.

Fires typically burn with different intensities. In some areas with large accumulations of fuel and possibly dry conditions, a fire may burn hot, leaving patches of ashes, charred trees, and bare soil. In other areas of lighter fuels and more moist conditions, fires tend to meander, burning some areas and bypassing others creating a very desirable mosaic of burned area.

The ecological benefits of fire include: habitat improvement, fuels reduction, species regeneration, increased nutrient cycling, and reduction of wildfire hazard. In addition, fire can create a mosaic of burned and unburned areas, resulting in natural breaks and diversity in the landscape that reduce the potential for large scale catastrophic wildfires.

Fire reduces accumulation of vegetation that can inhibit plant growth. By suppressing all wildfires, fuels begin to accumulate to unnatural levels setting the stage for future fires that are larger, more intense, and more dangerous to fight.

Many plants and animals depend on fire for survival. Periodic fire stimulates growth, plant reproduction and provides critical wildlife habitat.

In summary, natural fire is a vital process to maintain the diversity of habitats available to all species in the ecosystem.