Wild Fire: Consequences

Wildfires can cause extensive damage to properties and agricultural resources. The aftermath of a wildfire can be just as devastating as the fire itself.

Fires destroy helpful plants that prevent erosion. Heavy rains after such fires can often cause landslides, ash flows, and floods. These phenomena magnify the extent of the damage. Such events can further cause damage to the water quality of streams, rivers and lakes.

Wildfires also affect our atmosphere. A severe thunderstorm over a large wildfire can lift the smoke and soot high into the atmosphere. Gases such as carbon monoxide are released into our atmosphere by wildfires.

Sources Consulted

Sources

• Bryant, Edward (2001) Wild Fire: The Underrated Hazard, Cambridge University Press
• Paine, Michael (2002) "Wild Fire Book Gives a Better Understanding of Ancient Floods on Mars," Science of Wild Fire Hazards, Vol. 20 No. 1, pg. 50.
• "Wild Fires." Wikipedia. 17 Feb. 2006. <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild Fire>
• United Nations Atlas of the Oceans (accessed 2006), "Impact of Wild Fires on Ecosystems"