Why Controlled Burns Are Vital For Arizona’s Ecosystems?

As the weather in Arizona gets warmer, the National Forest Service begins conducting controlled burns. If you see smoke in the mountains, don't be alarmed immediately. Controlled burns happen regularly, and there are resources for you to know when they are happening.

What are controlled burns?

Controlled burns are when professionals set fire to specific segments of a forest. These are low-intensity fires, set and put out by experts. This may seem counterproductive to some, but they actually benefit the environment immensely. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, a lot of ecosystems, especially in Arizona, rely on fires.

Forests can easily become overgrown, and habitats can be destroyed. That's where controlled burns come into play. Controlled burns take care of the debris in the forest and ultimately reduce the chances of a severe wildfire that becomes a threat to humans nearby. There are over 5,000 federally prescribed burns every year.

READ: How Arizonans Can Prepare For Wildfires

Why are they important?

According to the National Forest Service, there are 4 main reasons for prescribed burns.

• Reduce Forest Density

Controlled burns decrease forest density, which is extremely important for plant health. When plants begin to grow too close to each other, they compete for resources and are more susceptible to disease and malnutrition.

• Improve Wildlife Habitats

Prescribed fires create dead trees that are important to a lot of bird and bat species. It also makes way for new vegetation to grow and makes more room for wildlife in the forest.  It also removes the weakest trees, strengthens the other trees, and helps put nutrients back in the soil.

• Encouraging Biodiversity

These low-intensity fires push back invasive species and give native species a better chance at survival, and causes vegitation to adapt.

• Decrease the Severity of Wildfires.

When a controlled burn happens, it gets rid of all the fuel and dead plant matter that wildfires love. This overall decreases the chance of a major natural disaster happening.

RELATED: Arizona's 3 big Safety concerns this Spring

Controlled burns in Cochise County

In Cochise County, controlled burns often have an extra purpose. Controlled burns help clear up the border line and make it easier for park rangers and border patrol to see what is going on along the line. These are called "Border Prescribed Burns".

On March 27th, there was a controlled burn that a lot of people were not aware of. This led a lot of people to worry about air quality and potential risks to their homes. The truth is, it had been planned and talked about for days. When a controlled burn is planned to begin, the US Forest Service posts about it before the fire starts.

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When you see smoke in the sky, check local Facebook pages and websites to see if it's a threat before getting worried. Controlled burns often leave a cloud of smoke, which causes people to be concerned about air quality, but at the end of the day, it is a very necessary preventative action we must take. Without controlled burns, the fire season would be a lot worse.

CONTINUE READING: How Arizona’s Heat And Drought Fuel Wildfire Season