A wildfire is any instance of uncontrolled burning in grasslands, brush, or woodlands. Wildfires destroy property and valuable natural resources, and may threaten the lives of people and animals. Wildfires can occur at any time of the year, but usually occur during hot, dry weather. Wildfires are usually signaled by dense smoke which may fill the air for miles around. The National Weather Service, U.S. Forest Service, and State forestry agencies combine to give wildfire probability forecasts. Local radio and television stations broadcast information and warnings on local fire conditions. Wildfires pose an increasing threat to the residential United States. In 1987, 53,000 fires consumed more than two million acres. By October 1988, almost …show more content…

Some trees, like the lodgepole pine, release cones, and those cones release their seeds when heated. The new vegetation that begins to grow thrives in the nutrient rich soil. Also, the new plants have little competition for sunlight and food which enables them to mature at a faster rate. Many people have concerns that prescribed fires effect animals in a negative way. The fire itself does not harm the animals for several reasons. Most prescribed burns travel at a slow rate of 0.1 to 1.6 miles per hour giving most insects and animals time to leave the area or burrow deep into the ground. Only 290 animals were found dead as a result of the Yellowstone fires in 1988, and this fire was uncontrollable and burned at very high intensities. Also, most prescribed fires occur in February, March, April, September, October, early November when animals are not nesting or caring for their young. The real threat that animals face is when the fire has been extinguished. Finding food and shelter are the main problems animals encounter after the fires. But most creatures migrate to other unburned areas of forest and return to their old home when food and cover grow back (sv.0505.r5.fs.fed.us/fpm/fh_94-95/influenc.htm). There are also concerns with the air pollution that prescribed fires cause when the fires release smoke into the atmosphere. One major argument against this is that