Environmental Science
Forest Fire Ecology: Natural Role vs. Human-Induced Changes
Quick fact
Some pine trees, like the lodgepole pine, have cones that only release seeds when exposed to intense heat—meaning that without fire, their seeds literally cannot begin a new generation.
Why this is interesting
We usually think of forest fires as disasters, but many ecosystems actually need fire to survive and thrive. So why are today's wildfires so destructive?