What’s the Environmental Impact of a Forest Fire?

by Oscar Collins

There are currently over a dozen active wildfires burning in California. Each year, more individuals must evacuate their hometowns to reach safety. Though many individuals focus on forest fire prevention efforts, it’s also essential to evaluate its impact on the environment.

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Forest fires both cause and derive from the enhanced greenhouse effect. When individuals drive their gas-powered vehicles, illuminate their homes and fuel additional electric devices, they produce greenhouse gas emissions. The pollutants interfere with Earth’s conventional temperature control process, degrading its surface’s compatibility with life.

Naturally, Earth soaks up sunlight, makes heat, warms its surface, collects additional energy and sends it to space. When emissions invade the atmosphere, they alter its ability to process heat effectively. They have a higher sunlight-to-heat transformation rate, overproducing warmth.

Additionally, emissions reprocess excess energy instead of emitting it to space. Over time, air pollutants raise the global temperature, creating a ripple effect of environmental degradation. One of the significant effects is water displacement.

As Earth’s temperature rises, the evaporation rate follows. While increased evaporation causes more precipitation in some regions, it influences elongated drought periods in others. Without regular rainfall, the risk of regional wildfires increases.

Atmospheric and Surface-Level Impacts

Fires impact Earth’s atmosphere and surface. Mass burns produce nearly 5 to 30 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare. The emissions pollute the environment, fueling the same process that the fires derive from.

They also cause surface-level degradation. Reducing the number of trees in an area can minimize Earth’s ability to process ground-level pollution. One tree may absorb nearly 48 pounds of emissions annually, converting them into pure oxygen.

Forest fires also cause a loss of biodiversity. In 2019, the fires extending from the Amazon to Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru left various creatures without a stable habitat. The rainforest contains a tenth of Earth’s species, making it the most biodiverse location on the planet.

The fires caused animals to flee, burrow, retreat to the water or hunker down. Some species effectively outran the smoke and flames, while others became trapped and experienced fatal consequences. Unfortunately, the surviving animals suffered additional adverse effects following the forest fires.

The species that successfully fled had no place to return to. Though they survived the short-term experience, living out their days in displaced environments limited their access to food, shelter and other essential resources. As the global temperature continuously rises, forest fires could increase many species’ risk of endangerment or extinction.

Reducing the Risk of Forest Fires

Individuals can take action, minimizing the risk of forest fires by practicing adequate safety measures. Many campers enjoy building fires on their sites to cook dinner and keep warm. If individuals lose control of the flames, they can fuel a major wildfire.

Before building your fire, it is essential to assess the weather, placement, and access to containment tools. If there are high winds when you plan to start your fire, you may experience an increased risk of transmitting embers around your site. Also, if you are in a longstanding drought, it is essential to restrict your production of flames.

Placement is another essential evaluation factor. It would help if you built your fire a safe distance from flammable objects, like tents or dry grass. It is also crucial to keep a bucket of water or an extinguisher nearby when using a fire pit.

Minimizing Personal Emissions

You may also minimize the risk of forest fires by reducing the enhanced greenhouse effect. Decreasing Earth’s temperature can effectively lower the evaporation rate, protecting highly vegetated regions from drought. Shrinking your carbon footprint can help reduce climate change.

A significant portion of one’s emissions derives from their diet. Products deriving from cattle create nearly 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions around the world. Eliminating your consumption of red meat and dairy may minimize your emissions.

The transportation sector also creates a significant quantity of global emissions. Individuals can utilize alternative forms of transportation like electric bikes to reduce their pollution production levels. Electric bikes are more sustainable than conventional vehicles because they generate zero tailpipe emissions.

You may also carpool to reduce the size of your transportation footprint. Increasing your awareness of atmospheric degradation is the first step towards making sustainable lifestyle changes.

Communication is Key

Though personal changes can effectively make an impact, there is strength in numbers. Talking to your community about the ways to minimize emissions and practice fire safety can reduce the risk of forest fires. You may additionally reach out to your local government officials, asking to improve your community’s access to emission-less energy sources, shrinking the regional footprint.