Fire Regime

Smoke from a wildfire billows above

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Wildfire as a Natural Process

Wildfire is one of the most powerful and creative natural processes on our planet. For thousands of years, this force has been shaping the environment on a large and widespread scale. Plants and animals have evolved with, and many depend on, the role fire plays in creating a diversity of habitats.

In the past, natural fires swept through plant communities at intervals that provided conditions for many plant species to regenerate. Wildfire thins competing species, recycles nutrients into the soil and opens holes in the forest canopy for sunlight to enter. All of these are critical to forest health and natural cycles of growth and decomposition. Wildfires also benefit many animal species. With the increased forage that results after a fire, many animals low on the food chain experience increases in their populations; therefore species above them on the food chain also benefit.

Despite the evidence that fire is a necessary element in many forest ecosystems, over most of the past century people have feared and suppressed it whenever possible. The accumulation of dead and downed fuels during that time now presents extreme hazards to the health of the trees, soil, wildlife, to humans living in these areas, and to the taxpayer who has to fund the fighting of catastrophic wildfires.

 

Prescribed Fires

Recognizing the value of fire in the ecosystem, Preserve managers now use prescribed burning to maintain fire dependent communities. Please use this link to read more about our plan to prioritize and treat hazardous fuels within the Preserve.

What is prescribed burning?

It is the process of using lightning started fire, or a fire ignited on purpose, as a tool for vegetation management. When humidity levels, air temperatures, and fuel conditions are ideal, fire managers set a slow burning, low to moderate intensity fire to remove selected vegetation. Likewise, if a lightning fire starts and specific conditions exist, the fire will be monitored but may not be aggressively fought. Big Cypress National Preserve has one of the largest prescribed burning program in the National Park System, typically burning more than 60,000 acres annually.

Why do prescribed burning?

Natural lightning fires were a regular feature of the land before development of roads and human settlements. Now, when lightning fires start, they can threaten human life and homes. Prescribed fire allows us to manage the natural process under a more controlled situation than a wild fire would permit. Vegetation has evolved with fire. If allowed to accumulate, excessive fuel buildup results in extremely hot, catastrophic fire that may damage soil and prevent native plants from regenerating. Prescribed fire reduces fuel buildup. Its effects are selective and predictable, releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem.

What habitats benefit from prescribed burning?

Sawgrass prairies/marshes and pinelands benefit from burning. Many pine, flower and grass seeds flourish best just after a relatively moderate fire has swept through, releasing nutrients that allow these fire adapted plants to grow. Many plant species flower prolifically after fire. Additionally, many animals benefit from areas that have burned. Some species, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker, thrive in forests that depend on fire.