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“Extreme” fire behavior indicates fire that does not respond to the usual methods of direct suppression, usually because of rapid spread, fire in the tree canopy (e.g., crowning), and formation of fire-related weather systems (e.g., pyrocumulus clouds). Scientists who study fire behavior are interested in factors that influence fire intensity and rate of spread, such as fuel types, weather, and topography. More specifically, it is the way fuel ignites and how flames develop. USDA Forest Service photo by Brendan O’Reilly.įire behavior broadly refers to a fire’s intensity and rate of spread. Lick Fire on the Umatilla National Forest at night. Learn more by clicking on a topic below to jump to that section. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station are conducting a range of studies pertaining to fire effects on the environment in multiple fields of study, from meteorology to ecology. Fire effects are influenced by forest conditions before the fire and management action taken or not taken after the fire, and may be long-lasting. Fire also releases carbon dioxide-a key greenhouse gas-into the atmosphere.

But fire can be deadly, destroying homes, wildlife habitat and timber, and polluting the air with emissions harmful to human health. It plays a key role in shaping ecosystems by serving as an agent of renewal and change.

Understanding Fire Effects on the Environment

USDA Forest Service photo by Morris Johnson. Fireweed grows on the Colville National Forest, Washington, several years after a wildfire.