Fire+ecology


 * //__Fire Ecology__//**

media type="custom" key="3576940" By:Shayan

Hi, my name is Shayan and my project was "How does fire effect nature?" There are different kinds of fires that effect nature. Immediate impacts include direct injury or mortality to plants and animals fleeing (insects, small mammals, and birds) or seeking refuge. Secondary impacts include an alteration of forage productiviity, availability and quality, and animal performance as well as creating, destroying, enhancing, or degrading various habitat attributes such as cover shelter, structure, and natal/breeding. Here are some facts about Yellowstone National Park and the world: In an average year, about 24 fires are ignited in Yellowstone. About 83% of naturally ignited fires in Yellowstone don't reach anymore than 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres) in size. About 90% of the world's fires are human-caused, either by negligence, accident, or intentional arson.

Sources: [|www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/factoid.htm] [|www.smfd.ca.gov/factsonfire.htm] [|www.agf.gov.bc.ca/range/publications/documents/fire5.htm]

Wildfires media type="custom" key="3576716" There are many kinds of wildfires. There are wild land fires, forest fires, brush fires, vegetation fires, grass fires, peat fires, bushfires, and hill fires. Nine out of ten are cause by us (people). There are ways to prevent them. First, you should keep your yard moist and wet. The second and most difficult is to stop smoking. If it is just so impossible for you to quit, at least put the cigarette in an ash tray. Many people burn their leaves instead of throwing them away. First of all, it pollutes the air. Second, it causes wildfires. You could also keep a bucket of water next to you when you go out camping near a campfire. Next, you should make sure that the oil/gas in your car isn’t leaking. In my project, I will try to burn christmas tree parts. This represents a wildfire.

My results weren’t what I expected. The cigarette didn’t burn the pine. In my research, there were about 130,000 wildfires started by a cigarette. media type="file" key="Tree_0001.wmv" width="155" height="149" [|Real Player]
 * How wildfires start**.
 * Smoking
 * Heat/focus of sunlight
 * Lightning
 * Machinery failure
 * Railroads
 * Fireworks
 * Controlled burn ex. A man burns leaves and it gets out of control.
 * Natural disaster ex. Lava rock
 * Campfires
 * Debris burning
 * Oil, electricity, and gas machinery
 * Spontaneous heating ( fuels that self heat)
 * Preventing wildfires.**
 * Keep vegetation moist
 * Either stop smoking or put cigarettes in an ash tray
 * Make sure oil does not leak out of your car

media type="custom" key="3682247" By:Akshay My project is on what type of wood burns the fastest. I used three types of wood. The three types of wood I used were pine, oak, Fraser fir, and lighter wood. The results were not very interesting because none of the pieces would light. The pine is a good firewood. We tried to light the piece, but it took a while. Same with the oak. The Fraser fir and lighter wood on the other hand lit and burned up fast.
 * Being prepared for a wildfire.**
 * Put water all over your roof
 * Keep plants moist