Southwest Colorado Wildfire Research Papers
Wildfire is a natural process in the forests of Southwest Colorado. However, Colorado and much of the United States is experiencing unnatural behavior in wildfire due to climate change and human intervention. Forest fires in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado are bigger and hotter than they were historically. This is a threat to both the environment and human populations. Wildlife, watersheds, and people living and recreating here are all affected. This paper will investigate the role of forest health and climate change in changing fire behavior. The paper will explore how human impact has changed fire, and what measures scientists, managers, and practitioners can take to reverse the damage and bring the regions forests back to more …show more content…
Fire was thought to be bad, and wildfires were immediately suppressed. Wildfires are an important part of the ecosystem. Fire has shaped forests and grasslands for thousands of years, and many plants and animals depend on it. As human interference continued, forest health declined (Fire Ecology in Colorado). Forests here may become overgrown when fire isn’t allowed to move through. This creates overcrowding which creates competition. Forest landscapes become vulnerable to dangerous, high intensity fires (Fire Ecology in Colorado). Disease and beetle infestation are also a growing problem. Combining the unnatural state of the forests in Southwest Colorado with the changes in climate due to climate change, the region faces even more challenges. Bark beetle infestation in the San Juan Mountains is on the rise. As climate change brings warmer weather throughout the region, spruce and mountain pine beetle outbreaks are more common (Williams 2002). The beetles kill the tree leaving standing dead. As the San Juans become more susceptible to beetles and disease due to poor health caused by both climate change and humans taking fire out of the ecosystem, the forest becomes ideal breeding conditions for the bark beetles. The standing dead left behind creates the perfect environment for high intensity, stand replacing, crown
Brush Fire Linda Thomas Analysis
1529 Words | 7 PagesThe infamous winds of Santa Ana repeatedly help develop a sky ridden with smoke, but for many on the golden coast this is just a typical day. The winds spiral into flames catching among the wild flowers that flourish on the vast valleys of California. These winds are unstoppable. However, it seems as if many refuse this idea in hopes that the land in california will become untouched by the dry winds if humans decide to build. It seems as if no one realizes that the ash from last year will be buried under tar at first, but soon enough the winds will take over the land and a new layer of ash will settle..
How Did The Conditions That Led To The Great Chicago Fire?
731 Words | 3 PagesIn paragraph 13, the author stated , “the summer had been unusually dry. Between July and October only a few scattered showers had taken place and did not produce much water at all.”. A severe drought could have led to this fire. An area suffering from drought is more likely to have a fire because the environment is dry and has no moisture which can make dried leaves and sticks the perfect fuel. Also, in paragraph 13, the author writes, “What made Sunday different and particularly dangerous was the steady wind blowing in from the southwest.
The Dangers Of Burned Home By Kirk Johnson
571 Words | 3 PagesThe dichotomy between “horrific fires” and “shorts and T-shirts” emphasizes people’s negligence in the face of the dangers of the burned home, while also reasons the apparent dangers behind these people’s actions, which Johnson tries to address. To accomplish this, Johnson discusses many reasons why the recent wildfires can be harmful to the environment and
Mountain Pine Beetle Analysis
1557 Words | 7 PagesThe Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic has shown the direct impacts of the warming of our planet and further proves the science behind climate change. The Mountain Pine Beetle now poses as another threat to the forests of North America and our environment. The pine beetle issue is much deeper than just having dead trees. The impacts the epidemic has had since 1995 has changed the landscape of Western North America forever and it greatly impacts communities, national forests, public lands, private lands, the lumber industry and water qualities in the
Summary Of Hot Spots By Brian Mccombie
764 Words | 4 PagesWith this in mind, the audience now knows how fast a wildfire can damage wildlife without any additional factors such as wind or humidity to capitalize the outcome. McCombie uses excellent facts and statistics to efficaciously inform the readers of the power of
Mojave Desert Essay
1014 Words | 5 PagesRunning states “Warmer temperatures appear to be increasing the duration and intensity of the wildfire season in the western United States” (Running 927). The reason how rise in temperature would lead to wildfires is due to high temperatures creating less snowpack in the Mountain ranges. Less snowpack in the mountain leads to less runoff and more drought and dry conditions for the lower elevations. Running goes to to estimate that “snowpacks are melting 1 to 4 weeks earlier than it did 50 years ago” (Running 927) For Mojave Desert specifically it is the Sierra Nevada Mountain range that is receiving less snowpack and contributing to the perpetual drought conditions of this area. And with drought, high temperatures, low water and comes dry, flammable vegetation creating the perfect combination for
Argumentative Essay On Prescribed Fire
434 Words | 2 PagesThere is a debate about using prescribed fires. Prescribed fires are fires that help reduce the catastrophic damage that wildfire creates. prescribed fires work most of the time, but they can be faulty at some points. That's why some people don't agree with using prescribed fires. Even though they sometimes don't work, they can be really helpful when they do work.
What Is The Cause Of Destruction In Southern California
83 Words | 1 PagesThe wind-driven infernos that are scarring vast swaths of Southern California 's landscape may leave more than just a temporary path of destruction when they are finally extinguished. The wildfires could leave a legacy of environmental devastation that will be evident for years to come, scientists say, especially in areas that have been scorched several times recently. Some of the damage may never be reversed.
Drought In California
833 Words | 4 PagesDrought in California can be a contributing factor to wildfire because dry, hot, and changes in temperatures
Analysis Of Brush Fire By Linda Thomas
1134 Words | 5 PagesThomas, as a native Californian has seen the ups and downs of the Santa Ana winds. She has experienced what good they bring to the deserts and canyons, as well as the bad they bring to the new developments that spring up every year. She sees how the winds blow massive natural wildfires across the deserts scorching the low lying shrubbery that grows there. Thomas knows that these fires are what keep the ecosystem turning and re-growing every year. “The padre’s staff--require the heat of a flame to crack open the seed pods.”
Research Paper On Peshtigo Fire Of 1871
521 Words | 3 PagesClearing of land and harvesting of lumber left large piles of saw dust and waste from the lumbering process throughout the forest. The poor lumbering practises made it easier for the fire to spread quickly. In addition, the cyclonic storm that cycled the area enhanced the intensity of the fire. The incident did not involve a flashover but it involved some backdraft.
Essay On California Forest Fire
1453 Words | 6 PagesCalifornia has one of the most severe wildland fire problems in the world. Population, vegetation, topography, and climate all play key roles in the probability of a wildfire occurring. In other words, it’s not a matter of “if” a wildfire will occur, but it’s a matter of “when.” In California, more and more people are choosing to live in communities near wildlands. These wildlands are composed of highly flammable vegetation which can be explosive.
Debris Case Study
777 Words | 4 PagesFurthremore, the San Gabriels vegetation is mainly chaparral. Chaparral is a shrubland found at California. It is vulnerable to fire and it rejuvenates as fire nourishes it. The droughts at the region continued for an extensive period and the dead leftovers would not decay but rather just become dry.
Polar Bear In The Southwest
626 Words | 3 PagesEveryone is talking about how the artic is going through a major climate change and that the polar bears are being affected; don't get me wrong that's a major problem. Has anybody considered about the desert in the southwest and how it's getting threatened by the rapid climate change. The animals in the artic get more attention than the plants that are in the southwest desert. One of the plants that an environmental group petitioned to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service was the Joshua tree. The Joshua tree can grow up to 40 feet tall and lives an average of 150 years.
Essay On Forest Management
1265 Words | 6 PagesBojocco et al(2010) Reported that fire has a major role in the determination of diversity and vegetation dynamics. It has influence on landscape structural diversity (Weatherspoon and Skinner 1995). The frequent occurrence of forest fires has been one of the vital reasons for the exhaustion and extinction of most of the biodiversity. This results in partial or complete degradation of vegetation cover or fragmentation of the forest thus modifying the radiation balance by growing the surface albedo, water runoff and raising the soil erosion (Darmawan and Mulyanto, 2001). Historical study of forest fire is significant for ecological and forest management applications(Iniguez et al. 2008).
More about Southwest Colorado Wildfire Research Papers
Brush Fire Linda Thomas Analysis
1529 Words | 7 PagesHow Did The Conditions That Led To The Great Chicago Fire?
731 Words | 3 PagesThe Dangers Of Burned Home By Kirk Johnson
571 Words | 3 PagesMountain Pine Beetle Analysis
1557 Words | 7 PagesSummary Of Hot Spots By Brian Mccombie
764 Words | 4 PagesMojave Desert Essay
1014 Words | 5 PagesArgumentative Essay On Prescribed Fire
434 Words | 2 PagesWhat Is The Cause Of Destruction In Southern California
83 Words | 1 PagesDrought In California
833 Words | 4 PagesAnalysis Of Brush Fire By Linda Thomas
1134 Words | 5 PagesResearch Paper On Peshtigo Fire Of 1871
521 Words | 3 PagesEssay On California Forest Fire
1453 Words | 6 PagesDebris Case Study
777 Words | 4 PagesPolar Bear In The Southwest
626 Words | 3 PagesEssay On Forest Management
1265 Words | 6 Pages