Unpredictable Wildfires and Unnatural "Fuels" Build-up
Many fire experts say that a new breed of unpredictable wildfires reflect both record drought conditions and forests that are more dense than they have ever been due to a century of fire suppression.
Dating back to the early 1900s, the U.S. Forest Service began work to suppress all fires. This approach was strengthened in 1935 when the U.S. Forest Service tried a nationwide experiment called the "10 a.m. policy" requiring managers to extinguish all wildfires by 10 a.m. the day following their ignition.
Burning Is A Natural Part of Ecosystem Health
Ecologists point out that many of the most symbolic landscapes in Colorado co-evolved with fire. Ranchers emphasize that fire nourishes grasslands and often can help control invasive species. Prescribed burns allow landowners and ecologists to reap the benefits of fire in a safe and controlled way.
These fires have a number of benefits including:
- A reduction of fuel build-up;
- Creating more sunlight and space for growth in crowded forests;
- Helping fire-dependent seeds burst and germinate; and
- Creating an environment that favors native species and diversity of wildlife.
"The Fire Roundtable": A Balanced Approach to Fire Management With an Emphasis on Human Safety
Thirty wide-ranging organizations, including members of the academic and scientific community, local governments, and federal and state agencies have come to together to create an inclusive forum that promises to shape fire policy in Colorado for the better. The Conservancy has been a leader in the Roundtable, working to reduce wildland fire risks and restore forest health.
In a recent report, the Roundtable identified more than 1.5 million acres that need to be managed more intensively, with either mechanical thinning or prescribed fire, to protect Front Range communities from catastrophic fire and to restore forest health.
The Nature Conservancy's Role in Using Fire to Fuel Ecosystem Health
In November, we completed our first burn in southern Colorado at the Bar NI Ranch. While small in size, this burn promises to have a major impact on the larger landscape.
Using the site to demonstrate the benefits and importance of restoring the forests, the Culebra Range Community Coalition, a group of private landowners, timber interests and land management agencies, plans to highlight prescribed fire as an important conservation tool.
Two more prescribed burns are in the works, and both promise to provide important training and research that will move fire management forward in Colorado, acre by acre.
Bringing fire back to Colorado in its natural role is the culmination of many years of hard work. We know that we still have a long road to travel, but we are particularly proud to be a part of the Roundtable's effort that holds so much promise for our state.
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Learn more about The Nature Conservancy by joining our group on Gather.
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