Our ecosystem depends on wildfire
It starts with a loud crack, a stroke of lightning hits the top of a tall tree and rips it into flaming bits that drop to the forest floor.
In the twigs and needles beneath the shattered tree, an ember slowly grows into a thin finger of flame. As the day warms, the fire grows bigger. Then the flames catch a small tree, and before long, the fire spreads high into a tall pine. The tree´s dry needles catch fire quickly, and soon the tree is burning like a torch. Neighboring trees start to burn, and smoke fills the air.
Wildfires are burning in the forest again, just as they have for millions of years. Many plants and animals actually need frequent fires to survive.
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