Five myths about wildfires

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181113-five-myths-about-wildfires

 

By Diego Arguedas Ortiz
16th September 2020


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The devastation wrought by wildfires has become a common horror story for those living in the regions hit by such blazes. A long-running drought in California has only made the likelihood of wildfires worse. But it is far from the only area affected.

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But as fires multiply around the world, so do questions about them – and misconceptions. Here are five common myths about wildfires – some of which can undermine our success in fighting them.

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Myth #1: Regularly logging forests prevents forest fires

A common assumption is that logging, or removing some trees, would prevent fires. In fact, many forest experts say that logging is ineffective. This is because the tree remnants left over after logging, such as stumps and branches, provide a super-fuel for fire – one that is even drier (and more flammable) in the absence of a forest canopy.

There is plenty of science backing these claims. For instance, a recent study showed that burn severity tended to be higher in areas with higher levels of management. Scholars working on wildfire conservation have also rebuked arguments that logging protects endangered species from forest fires, a common argument in favour of tree removal; in fact, it seems that animals like the iconic spotted owl still benefit from a burned-out forest and that removing the trees could hurt them. Even post-fire logging is counterproductive and can lead to more fires.

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