THE WILDFIRE CHALLENGE: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF WILDFIRE (Invited Presentation)

Wildfire is increasingly seen on the news arousing intense public and media interest (both popular and scientific). Almost exclusively, these broadcasts emphasize the destructive, and often life-threatening aspects of fire, with communities fighting valiantly to extinguish them. However, fire is a major Earth System process and affects both the atmosphere and the biosphere in profound ways. As such, fire has an impact on both the landscape and vegetation as well as on human societies. This is a significant paradox. Fire is essential to the health of many plant communities and is exploited by mankind, but it, and its by-products (e.g. smoke) and subsequent impacts (increased run-off, erosion and flooding) are also a serious hazard.

The fossil record of charcoal from the late Silurian (420 million years ago) onwards has provided data on wildfire through the deep time geological record before the evolution of man. Recent research has shown the close interaction of fire, the evolution of vegetation, the atmosphere and climate when there were only natural ignition sources and shows the presence of both high and low fire worlds. Many of the traits that have been developed by plants that allow them to survive or even thrive through wildfire evolved during the Cretaceous high fire world. Humans evolved into a fiery landscape.

The interactions between fire and mankind has been considered a long and convoluted process, yet while we may have some control over wildfire the misunderstanding between people and this force of nature is significant, especially because of three significant factors We are building in to flammable landscapes without the requisite understanding of, or planning for wildfire. We are underestimating the role of invasive species such as grasses on the dynamics of fire as well as the extensive planting of non-native trees that may fuel a wildfire and also we have underestimated the significant changes in climate affecting wildfire activity and size that are occurring because of global warming. All this means we need a much more inclusive dialogue between fire and climate scientists with not only policy makers but also the general public.

Scott, A.C. 2018. Burning Planet. The story of fire through time. Oxford University Press.

Scott, A.C. 2020. Fire: A very short Introduction. Oxford University Press.