POSITIVE

• Periodic fire is part of the natural forest, chaparral, grassland and tundra environment.

• Low precipitation, high temperatures and humidity favour the build up of dried fuels, once these accumulate they periodically burn to reduce such fuel levels.

• Fire exclusion has resulted in severe fire hazard.

• Burning controls the age of the forest by interrupting and altering succession. periodic fire limits the number of saplings that survive and hence the number of trees per hectare.

• Fire influences nutrient cycling and flow. It converts organic matter to ash and increases levels of available phosphorous, potassium, calcium and magnesium. These conditions favour germination.

• Fire impacts on habitats, stimulating fruiting and flowering of species and increasing the availability seeds and berries. The quantity and quality of browse increase after fire and the population of wood boring insects increase. this is important to quail and woodpeckers.

NEGATIVE

• Fire releases soot particles into the atmosphere: in the US, forest fires release about 35 million tonnes into the atmosphere each year.

• Major fire can burn off humus in the soil, reducing and destroying soil fertility.

• Major fires can destroy vegetation, reducing the amount of precipitation absorbed by plants.

• Fire can become hazardous to surrounding infrastructure and people.