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English > Preventing Fires > Fire Suppression
For almost a century, an attempt was made to suppress almost every wildfire in the United States. Many of these attempts were successful; those that were not resulted in catastrophic wildfires, and only strengthened the resolve of foresters to try to irradicate wildfires from American forests.
Until recently, no one realized the ill effects suppressing all wildfires had on American forests. The fuel buildup suppression caused is the fuel for the current severe wildfire seasons.
History of Fire Suppression
Fire suppression truly began after the 1910 fire season. Foresters were unwilling to allow the 1910 season to repeat itself. They thought that they could avoid devastating fire seasons by not allowing any fires to burn. It became policy to try to put out every fire that started.
This policy of aggressive fire suppression seemed to work. The forests healed without incident, giving a false sense of security. However, without wildfires, the ecological cycles of forests and wildlands were disrupted. Major changes in the forests began.
Effects of Fire Suppression
 Without wildfires, the structure and makeup of America's forests began to drastically change. Species of trees that would normally be burned frequently by low intensity wildfires got the chance to grow, and began to take over forests. These trees soon became susceptible to disease and insects. Standing dead and dying trees, and fallen trees began to cover forests. Brush and other downed material added to this fuel buildup, compounding the problem.
Over the past century since fire suppression began, the appearance of American forests and wildlands has changed dramatically--as has the fire behavior in them. A century ago, forests were less dense, and were composed of larger, more fire-resistant trees. There was not nearly as much dead fuel littering the forest floor.
For example, in northern Arizona, lower elevation ponderosa pine forests once held approximately fifty trees an acre. They now contain 200 or more trees per acre. Enormous increases in trees per acre have occurred across the United States. As a result, wildfires today are typically hotter, faster, and larger than those before 1910.
Today's Policy
Currently, wildfire suppression is decided on a case-by-case basis. Some wildfires that don't affect populated areas are allowed to burn to reduce fuel buildup. If a wildfire is in a close proximity to an inhabited area, it is still suppressed or contained within a certain perimeter. Because fewer wildfires are suppressed, less fuel builds up, and in turn, theimpact on forests is reduced. This solution is also less costly, because fire crews don't have to fight wildfires in remote areas.
The choice to suppress every wildfire has reached much farther then forests and wildlands. This choice has caused fires that cost billions of dollars in the fees associated with extinguishing them as well as other economic losses, destroyed thousands of homes, and claimed hundreds of lives. It is possibly one of the most catastrophic choices the United States has ever made, the effects of which will never be forgotten.
© ThinkQuest Team C0119184 :: Credits & Sources
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