Burn Baby Burn! Evidence of forest fires dates back 350 million years ago It is a natural phenomenon Initially, lightning was the sole cause of forest fires Currently in Ontario, lightning accounts for 40% and high school students playing with matches and cigarettes cause the rest ;) An external source of heat is needed to start a fire To ignite, fire needs approx. 16% oxygen, (Ontario is generally 21% oxygen) The fuel is anything capable of burning living vegetation, branches, needles, standing dead trees, leaves, log cabins etc. How far and how fast a fire spreads is dependant upon Quantity and type of fuel Weather conditions Regions topography Moisture level is the most important determinant High moisture levels slow the fire as heat is used to dry the wood, before it combust creates a hissing sound Therefore, live trees take longer to burn Long periods of drought increase the likelihood of fires The chemical make up of the fuel make some species more readily to burn Some plants contain oils or resign that are more combustible and burn more easily Pine and Cedar are great examples Wind and rain are the most important factors Winds bring in fresh oxygen and push the blaze towards new fuel sources A fire blaze can easily out run people and animals Fires will spread faster up hill as the hot air from the fire preheats the existing fuel ahead. The greater the rise of the slope, the faster the fire moves upwards Type of fire that burns organic litter beneath surface litter usually peat moss smoldering very difficult to locate as there is very little flame, only smoke Spread with a flaming front and burn leaf litter, fallen branches and other fuel located at ground level Generally controllable with proper equipment Burn across tree tops or the crown of the tree They depend on strong winds and dry fuels that make them extremely powerful and intense Very loud! Create Fire Create Fire TornadoesTornadoes! Water Bombers fill up on nearby lakes and drop on the fire Water Bombersthe fire Fire Retardant Sprays Creating fire breaks Prescribed burns (set intentionally) and are done to burn off access fuel in high risk areas Prescribed fire can help grow better forests, create better habitat for wildlife and domestic animals reduce the intensity of naturally occurring wildfires, integral process to some ecosystems. Fires kill off invasive species, pests, diseases and older trees, leaving space for younger, native trees to flourish The ashes provide nutrients that are locked in the soil and for other vegetation Obligate seeders - are plants with large, fire- activated seed banks that germinate, grow, and mature rapidly following a fire. Lodgepole Pine, Pitch Pine have heat activated seeds