[Answered] What are various reasons for forest fires? Discuss consequences of fires fires and suggest some solutions to prevent it.

The recent wildfire tragedy in Amazon forests has alarmed all the world and support to prevent fire is coming from everywhere. Forests fires pose a threat not only to the forest wealth but also to the entire regime to fauna and flora seriously disturbing the bio-diversity and the ecology and environment of a region. Forest fire causes imbalances in nature and endangers biodiversity by reducing faunal and floral wealth.

Causes of Forest Fires:

1. Anthropogenic causes: 90% of all wildfires are caused by humans. Human acts of carelessness such as leaving campfires unattended and negligent discarding of cigarette butts result in wildfire disasters every year.
2. Smoking: Smoking is the leading cause of fires and deaths globally. Habit of smoking while driving, walking or biking and then throwing away the cigarette butts without completely extinguishing it lead to forest fires. Smokers at times become negligent at extinguishing the cigarettes butts after smoking.
3. Campfires: During camping or outdoor activities people normally leave lit fires or combusting materials unattended to which ignite wildfires. It is must for all lit fires and combusting materials to be totally extinguished after use to avoid wildfire disasters.
4. Burning Debris: Wastes and trash are on several occasions burned to ashes as a way of reducing the accumulation of rubbish. What is left after burning the waste matter or trash is debris that burns slowly. This slowly burning debris can potentially set anything ablaze and start a wildfire because of the heat.
5. Fireworks: Fireworks are used by humans for various reasons such as festivals. However, their explosive nature can start wildfires.
6. Natural Causes:
7. Lightning: A good number of wildfires are triggered by lightning. A lightning strike can produce a spark. Sometimes the lightening can strike power cables, trees, or rocks and any other thing and this can trigger off a fire.
8. Volcanic eruption: Hot magma in the earth’s crusts is usually expelled out as lava during a volcanic eruption. The hot lava then flows into nearby fields or lands to start wildfires.

Impact of forest fires:

1. Loss of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Forest fires destroy the habitats and the intricate relationships of diverse flora and fauna leading to loss of ecosystems and biodiversity. Wildfires simply damage the habitable and adaptable land for specific animal and plant species.
2. It alters or kills the plant life features which support thousands of wildlife thereby forcing the animals out of the regions or even killing them.
3. Besides, wildfires can even lead to extinction for certain animals.
4. Wildfires can be so severe that they decimate the habits and critical relationships of plants and animals causing loss of ecosystem.
5. Forest Degradation: Forest fires especially that commonly happen in dry tropical forests are a major cause of forest degradation. Almost every year, forests fires are witnessed across different forest regions which persistently reduce the quality of certain forest features like soil fertility, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
6. Air Pollution: Living plant matter purifies the atmospheric air we depend on for respiration. They achieve this by taking in carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, and air impurities and by producing oxygen. In addition, the huge clouds of smoke instigated by wildfires lead to massive air pollution.
7. Global Warming: When plant life is exterminated by fires, the quality of air we breathe in declines and greenhouse gasses increase in the atmosphere leading to climate change and global warming. Trees and vegetation covers act as purifiers of the air we breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as well as other air impurities and gives out oxygen. When they are burned down, it means more greenhouse gases increases in the atmosphere, resulting in global warming.
8. Soil Degradation: Forest soils are loaded with nutrients released from decaying forest debris. Forest fires kill beneficial soil microorganisms that are responsible for breaking down the soil and promoting soil microbial activities. The burning of trees and vegetation cover also leaves the soil bare making it readily vulnerable to soil erosion.
9. Economic Losses: Wildfires devastate everything in their path including property. Local authorities spend millions to control the fire.
10. Destruction of Watersheds: Trees and vegetation cover acts as watershed protectors since approximately all the water comes from forest-derived water tables. Whenever they burn, the natural protection systems for water tables, streams, and rivers may be affected.
11. Impacts to Human Well-being and Health: Wildfires have contributed to some fatalities, especially impacting firefighters and lifesavers. The effect of smoke and dust also causes intense breathing discomfort and can worsen the health of people with allergies and respiratory disorders.

Fire effects on all forests are not equal. While same fire, beneficial for one ecosystem, may be for the other, depending upon the climatic conditions, and type of vegetation. Fast initial attack measures are required with a vigorous follow up action. Introducing a forest fuel modification system at strategic points is important. Special emphasis should be given to research, training, and development.