Salt Plains NWR Just 4 Kids Fire

Fire

Fires were once a common influence on plant life cycles and communities. Some ecosystems depend on fire for seed germination and the fertile ash left behind.

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At Salt Plains NWR, fire is frequently used to clear underbrush and restore prairie regions. Fire is an effective tool, if used properly, to remove red cedar from native grass prairies. - FWS Photo

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- FWS Photo

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For a long time, humans suppressed natural wildfires. Without fire, all of the fuels (dead trees and leaf litter) added up and have created large wildfire situations. The large wildfires threaten wildlife and humans. So, to mimic nature's natural fire cycles, fire can be used as a management tool.

Many wildlife species are dependant on early successional plants. Fire is used to encourage growth of sub-climax plants such as grasses and forbes (weeds). The objective is to provide a patch-work of trees (climax species), bushes (mid-successional species) and grass (early successional species).

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Prescribed burning requires skilled firefighters. These firefighters are lighting with a drip torch. - FWS Photos

The patch-work can be seen as you look over an area under regular prescribed burning. You will see trees, different grasses and forbes all intermingled in the landscape. Diverse plant species support diverse wildlife populations; not all plants provide the same nutrients and wildlife need a variety of available plants to meet their nutritional needs.

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The aftermath of a fire is as beneficial for wildlife as the new plants that will grow in the ash. After a prescribed burn, wildlife can be seen foraging among the ashes, looking for insects and grubs that were beneath the leaf litter that was burned.

A female pheasant moves through the ash after a burn - knowing that a good meal will be exposed in the ash. - FWS Photo

Definitions

Early-Succession - Plants that start from bare ground and open water.

Mid-Succession - Plants that grow, following a disturbance, such as fire or grazing.

Climax - Composed of a dynamic equilibrium of plants.

After a large wildfire, it takes many years to restore the habitat. If a wildfire occurs in an area that is under a prescribed burning schedule, the damage to the habitat is less and the fire is easier to contain.

Restoring the land to the natural ecosystems is important to native wildlife. When we suppressed fire for so long, we changed the ecosystems and some species populations were decreased. By repairing the grasslands at Salt Plains, we expect to see native species recover healthy populations in the refuge area.

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