Unplanned or unwanted fires can pose serious threats to public health and safety, as well as to air quality. Because these fires are uncontrolled, they can pose significant threats to the safety of firefighters and the general public, as well as destroy property.

4. Why is fire suppression a controversial strategy? Fire suppression lets dead and decaying plant matter to build up, increasing the risk for a larger and even more severe fire.

Wildfires increase the potential for flooding, debris flows, and landslides. Smoke and other emissions contain pollutants that can cause significant health problems.

forest fire. Forest fires help in the natural cycle of woods’ growth and replenishment. Clear dead trees, leaves, and competing vegetation from the forest floor, so new plants can grow. Break down and return nutrients to the soil. Remove weak or disease-ridden trees, leaving more space and nutrients for stronger trees.

When conditions are wrong, prescribed fire can severely damage the very resource it was intended to benefit. Prescribed fire can temporarily reduce air quality, but usually to a much lesser degree than wildfire. Proper planning and execution are necessary to minimize any detrimental effects to air quality.

Depending on the severity of the wildfire, a forest may recover quickly. For larger, more destructive wildfires, active efforts to assist recovery are often needed. These could include erosion prevention, as well as establishing vegetation through re-seeding or replanting.

Killing Disease Fire kills diseases and insects that prey on trees and provides valuable nutrients that enrich the soil.

And now scientists have discovered tangible health benefits to gazing at a warm hearth. According to research carried out by the University of Alabama sitting by a fire decreases blood pressure. So, as well as providing a great source of warmth during these colder months, a fire also offers proven health benefits.

Preventing wildfires

1. Report unattended fires.
2. Extinguish fire pits and campfires when done.
3. Don’t throw lit cigarettes out of your moving car.
4. Use caution when using flammable liquids.
5. Pay attention to local ordinances for trash burning.
6. Only use fireworks in clear areas with no woods nearby.

Today, only 4 billion hectares are left. The world has lost one-third of its forest – an area twice the size of the United States. Only 10% of this was lost in the first half of this period, until 5,000 years ago.

The world’s overall tree leader is Russia, with 642 billion trees, reports The Washington Post, which analyzed the data presented by researchers. Next is Canada with 318 billion trees and Brazil with 302 billion. The United States comes in fourth with 228 billion trees.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon continues to rise, according to data from Brazil’s national space research institute INPE.

Amazon

Panama’s Darién Gap

Kakamega Forest

The boreal forest is the largest forest in the world, wrapping right around Earth’s entire northern hemisphere like a giant green headband. With millions of lakes and rivers crisscrossing the forest, it is also the world’s largest source of surface freshwater.

Canada’s boreal forest (270 million hectares) stores carbon, purifies the air and water, and regulates the climate. Because a large portion of the world’s boreal zone lies in Canada (28% or 552 million hectares), this country’s boreal forest affects the health of the environment worldwide.

Boreal Forest Region

Like Earth’s other grand forests, the boreal plays a critical role in how the planet breathes through the process of photosynthesis. By extension, it also shapes the composition of the atmosphere, which today includes concentrations of oxygen, at about 21 per cent, and carbon dioxide, at roughly 0.04 per cent.