Few, if any, folks like to see wildfires in national parks. But there is an upside to wildfires, as Shenandoah National Park Superintendent Jim Northup pointed out earlier this week while discussing the Rocky MTN Fire.
"While the park did not ignite, nor wish for this fire under these very dry and windy conditions, natural resource managers feel that overall, the fire will be beneficial to forest health in this part of the park, which is classified as a Fire Ecology Zone, with several fire dependent species," the superintendent wrote in an open letter to the general public. "Having not burned for over 85 years, (in an area where low intensity ground fires should naturally occur every 3-9 years) the Rocky Mount area of the park has had an unnaturally high level of fuel accumulation (leaves, pine needle litter, branches and fallen trees) and was destined to burn at some point.
"As a result of the fire, organic material and other nutrients have been recycled into the soil, which will stimulate new plant growth. Burning primarily leaves and dead and down material, the fire will result in very little tree mortality, and very little negative impact on wildlife species, which have evolved in the presence of fire over thousands of years. The fire will be particularly beneficial for several plant species including native grasses and wildflowers, oak and pine communities. Wildlife, including white-tailed deer, black bear, songbirds and many other species will benefit from the acorns, blueberries and other seeds, produced by plants rejuvenated by fire."
The following photographs, taken by Simeon Klebaner during an overflight this week, demonstrate how fires can create a mosaic effect of burned, and unburned, landscapes.
By Tuesday, the fire had burned roughly 10,400 acres, and was 70 percent contained.
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Actually, many wildfires can be beneficial to park ecosystems and will reduce hazardous amounts of fuels, mitigating future, more intense fires. The Superintendent and his staff should be applauded for implementing the federal fire policy as it was intended to be used, and not just pushing the easy button and hammering the fire, as many managers tend to do.