Fire Science
This type of reaction is responsible for sustaining the spread of a wildfire.
What is combustion?
Type of cone produced by Lodgepole Pines that require heat to open and germinate.
What are serotinous cones?
This is the practice of creating defensible space around homes to protect them from wildfires.
What is fireproofing or creating defensible space?
It does this by releasing smoke and pollutants into the air.
How do wildfires impact air quality?
The primary element in smoke that can be harmful to human health.
What is carbon monoxide?
Some pine trees, like the lodgepole pine, have cones that open up only after a fire, a phenomenon called this.
What is serotiny?
This type of forest management involves the controlled burning of small areas to reduce fuel buildup and prevent larger fires.
What is prescribed burning?
This wildfire, which began in 2007, was the largest fire in Utah history, burning 363,052 acres.
What is the Mildford Flat Fire?
This is the name for a wildfire that moves rapidly uphill, often fueled by steep terrain and wind.
What is a crown fire?
This is the name of the process by which forests regenerate after a wildfire.
What is ecological succession?
This tool, often used in firebreak construction which is a cleared strip of land intended to stop or slow the spread of a wildfire.
What is a bulldozer used for?
Loss of property value and infrastructure damage.
What is one economic consequence of wildfires?
The process through which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere, often influencing the development of wildfires.
What is transpiration?
The dense growth of this type of plant can serve as "fuel" for wildfires, and they are often found in fire-prone areas.
What are grasses?
This technique involves using aircraft to drop water or chemicals over wildfires to suppress flames
What is aerial firefighting?
Wildfires can cause soil erosion, loss of nutrients, and damage to soil structure.
How can wildfires negatively affect soil health?
This is the term for the leading edge of a wildfire where the fire is most intense.
What is the fire front?
The role of this type of animal, such as a woodpecker, is critical after a fire because they help control insect populations
What are fire-dependent species?
This type of regulation helps prevent fires by restricting activities, such as camping or smoking, during high-risk fire seasons.
What is a fire ban?
They can alter species composition, reduce biodiversity, and delay forest regeneration due to changes in soil chemistry and structure.
What long-term ecological impact can wildfires have on forests?