Physical Geography: Wildfires In The Pacific Northwest Region
DeAnna Kvilvang
Physical Geography
Timothy Fox
12/14/2015 Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest region
Introduction According to sources research shows there has been a total of 3,814 fires within the Pacific Northwest Region just this year. It could be nature due to the different climates that are spread around that area or maybe it could be due to humans. The truth is the fires are due to both nature and humans, out of the 3,814 fires that happened this year 2,209 were human-caused and 1,605 were caused by lightning or in other words nature. The amount of fires that are listed previous are only from the areas of Oregon, Washington, and part of Idaho there are many other fires throughout the geographical United States.
Geographical area
The …show more content…
Pacific Northwest covers approximately 98,381 square miles. All three states that are going to be covered have the Columbia Plateau, which covers the eastern border of Oregon and stretches into Idaho and Washington. The way that all the states in the region connect is that Washington is east of Idaho and north of Oregon. How the Rocky Mountains fit in to the picture is that in Washington the Rockies are in the northeast corner of the state, Oregon doesn’t have the Rockies just the Cascades and Mount Hood, and in Idaho the Rockies are the largest area in the state. These states are also made up of mostly forest: Idaho 41% of this state is forestland, Oregon over half of the state is forestland, and in Washington mostly west of the Cascades but still over half of their land is forest. Having over half of an area covered with forest increase the risk of a wildfire breaking out.
Climate is one thing that they all don’t have in common necessarily. Washington is a climate that is humid and cooler as you go towards the eastern part of the cascades. It also has long lasting precipitation and cloudy and foggy days. Idaho is not completely different the southeast part is sometimes cooler than the west and drier than the north and in the southern part of Idaho their summer temperatures are warmer and drier than the north throughout the year. Summers in Oregon are dry and bright with a rain shadow that is caused by the cascades.
Wildfire
Wildfires can be either human-caused or nature caused. The reason there are wildfires is because of the ground fuels that the forest builds up from the leaves, logs, and branches that is why firefighters do prescribed burns so that they can help to reduce the ground fuels in the forest. If they didn’t do them there would be a whole lot more fires all around this country. Sadly to say most of them are not caused by nature they are human-caused by arson, a cigarette that someone tosses out the window, a spark from a motorized vehicle, or a campfire that wasn’t put out correctly.
Physical Processes
Wildfires destroy tons of things in their paths but they also do restore some like the Lodge pole pine which has a location in Oregon and Idaho.
Without fire the cones will not open so when there is a fire in a forest with lodge pole pine in it the cones open and then there is seeds spread for more lodge pole. However the destructive side is even though the lodge pole pine may need fire to continue to grow wildfires do pose a huge threat to the wildlife and their habitats. The things that the world’s wildlife needs to survive is destroyed such as food, water, and shelter. The animals move on to find areas better suited for themselves once wildfires destroy the plants and other food and water resources they once …show more content…
had.
Wildfires are good yet at the same time bad for the environment. they destroy all dead and decaying trees, it can also burn in a mosaic patterns which clears over crowded forests and allows the lower plants to have sunlight. However they are also hazardous to the health of humans and wildlife, destroy buildings, cost a lot of money to prepare and evacuate for, and can lead to water rationing. Wildfire can also upset the way that the soil naturally absorbs the rainfall. The stress of the possibility of having to quickly gather your belongings and evacuate your house not knowing if you will come back to a pile of ash or your house.
Human Environment interactions
When humans breathe in the smoke from a wildfire it may seem like it is just normal smoke that comes off of your campfire. However what they are actually breathing is a punchbowl of gases and particles that come off of the trees and other plants as they are burning and are carried with the smoke by the wind. Like all other types of smoke it can make your eyes and lungs burn which might be worse for the people who are older, smoke, or occasionally have trouble breathing. The smoke can also cause a huge problem for people when driving. If they don’t turn their headlights on and figure out how far they can see before they take off it will lead to accidents. Not everyone turns their headlights on and smoke is thick plus once you add the glare of the sun or lights from houses I would rather not drive. Have you seen how thick regular chimney smoke is now imagine driving through the smoke from a wildfire? Not to mention the rivers, lakes, and streams within that area are polluted with bacteria and pathogen that grew because of the things the fire caused the soil to release into them.
Possibilities/Arguments
One possibility to reduce the amount of acreage burned by wildfires would be to allow more logging. Logging would decrease the debris which builds up the ground fuels in the forests. But on the other hand one would argue that depleting our natural ability to produce our own wood and resources would hinder our economy verses fighting the wildfires. So maybe areas where there’s higher incidences of wildfire one could do a modified logging for every two trees cut down one is planted. This would thin out the forest but still allow the natural growth of more trees. The heavy equipment that is used for logging disturbs the wildlife and is a possible igniter of a wildfire.
A second possibility would be to have more prescribed burns. Which would burn the ground fuel in the forest to keep the area cleaner and safer before nature ignited them and caused a fire. The people doing the burns are human and don’t control the weather. Wind and dry climates can cause the fire to get out of control along with the negligence from the firefighters not watching it appropriately. Even in controlled fires there is a possibility of sparks igniting after several hours after it is proven to be extinguished.
A third possibility would be to have groups of people clean up the damage after a storm. To help prevent the debris from creating more ground fuel on the forest floor. This possibility seems to be impossible being that the forests are really large and there isn’t enough people to clean it up. Plus if we did we would be messing with wildlife’s natural habitat. In other words we cannot stop nature nor should we try.
The fourth possibility is to educate everyone on the importance of wildfire prevention. The government doesn’t allow smoking in bars so maybe we shouldn’t allow smoking near woodlands. Teaching homeowners that choose to live in forests to clear debris away from house to prevent their homes from catching on fire. Teach residence close to woodlands not to stack wood by their house. Teaching campers not to leave until they know their fire is actually put out. Not to burn garbage or other things where the ash and sparks can fly and hit the tree tops igniting an out of control fire. Teaching those with recreational vehicles to be aware of the fact that the hot motor could spread a spark igniting a fire. Not everyone has a television or would even attended an educational session. Do we have enough resources to continue to educate and reeducate it would be and ongoing deal? So remember just like Smokey the Bear says “Only you can prevent forest fires!”
The fifth possibility would be to figure out a way to control the different environmentalist groups that are hindering the changing of our forests. Environmentalists tend to get on a campaign or a rant on not wanting to thin forests or clean up debris they would like everything just the way Mother Nature put it. Not allowing the digging of trenches to avoid jumping of the fire. A person could argue though that environmentalist are defiantly good for our environment trying to keep nature just the way that God had intended it to be.
The last possibility is to get better equipment for the firefighters.
Not all places have upgraded or been allowed to upgrade to better equipment due to their budget. If the firefighters had better equipment to help stop wildfires maybe the wildfires we had this year wouldn’t have taken so long to put out or destroyed as much property. The uniforms they wear are designed to tolerate the heat of the wildfires. But there has been some that have burnt through because the fire was hotter than it could handle. But with the technology we have today this age could probably design a completely fireproof uniform. How would we pay for it? Because most of the firefighters that fight the wildfires are volunteers from all over the country and come from their own departments. Where would we get the supplies, scientists, and lab to even try to figure out how to make a completely fire proof uniform that withstands all heat temperatures. This wouldn’t exactly be a way to prevent wildfires but more of a way to keep our firefighters safe and able to fight to the fire
longer.
Summary
Not only is there wildfires in the Pacific Northwest but there is fires in many other geographical areas all throughout the world. Wildfires are destructive and helpful yet costly all in one big bundle of feelings. The wildfires that are not caused by humans but by nature are exactly that a natural disaster like a hurricane or a tornadoes. If we can reduce the amount of wildfires that are human-caused in this world or even in this region to start with maybe we wouldn’t see as much destruction or have to pay so much for homes in certain areas. So if we take the effects that natural wildfires have on the environment and look at it in a different direction. Then in a way as long as we have the equipment and man power to put them out before the whole state is destroyed they are actually helpful. However human-caused wildfires are something that should be stopped because nature should be the only thing igniting our forests.
Physical Geography
Timothy Fox
12/14/2015 Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest region
Introduction According to sources research shows there has been a total of 3,814 fires within the Pacific Northwest Region just this year. It could be nature due to the different climates that are spread around that area or maybe it could be due to humans. The truth is the fires are due to both nature and humans, out of the 3,814 fires that happened this year 2,209 were human-caused and 1,605 were caused by lightning or in other words nature. The amount of fires that are listed previous are only from the areas of Oregon, Washington, and part of Idaho there are many other fires throughout the geographical United States.
Geographical area
The …show more content…
Pacific Northwest covers approximately 98,381 square miles. All three states that are going to be covered have the Columbia Plateau, which covers the eastern border of Oregon and stretches into Idaho and Washington. The way that all the states in the region connect is that Washington is east of Idaho and north of Oregon. How the Rocky Mountains fit in to the picture is that in Washington the Rockies are in the northeast corner of the state, Oregon doesn’t have the Rockies just the Cascades and Mount Hood, and in Idaho the Rockies are the largest area in the state. These states are also made up of mostly forest: Idaho 41% of this state is forestland, Oregon over half of the state is forestland, and in Washington mostly west of the Cascades but still over half of their land is forest. Having over half of an area covered with forest increase the risk of a wildfire breaking out.
Climate is one thing that they all don’t have in common necessarily. Washington is a climate that is humid and cooler as you go towards the eastern part of the cascades. It also has long lasting precipitation and cloudy and foggy days. Idaho is not completely different the southeast part is sometimes cooler than the west and drier than the north and in the southern part of Idaho their summer temperatures are warmer and drier than the north throughout the year. Summers in Oregon are dry and bright with a rain shadow that is caused by the cascades.
Wildfire
Wildfires can be either human-caused or nature caused. The reason there are wildfires is because of the ground fuels that the forest builds up from the leaves, logs, and branches that is why firefighters do prescribed burns so that they can help to reduce the ground fuels in the forest. If they didn’t do them there would be a whole lot more fires all around this country. Sadly to say most of them are not caused by nature they are human-caused by arson, a cigarette that someone tosses out the window, a spark from a motorized vehicle, or a campfire that wasn’t put out correctly.
Physical Processes
Wildfires destroy tons of things in their paths but they also do restore some like the Lodge pole pine which has a location in Oregon and Idaho.
Without fire the cones will not open so when there is a fire in a forest with lodge pole pine in it the cones open and then there is seeds spread for more lodge pole. However the destructive side is even though the lodge pole pine may need fire to continue to grow wildfires do pose a huge threat to the wildlife and their habitats. The things that the world’s wildlife needs to survive is destroyed such as food, water, and shelter. The animals move on to find areas better suited for themselves once wildfires destroy the plants and other food and water resources they once …show more content…
had.
Wildfires are good yet at the same time bad for the environment. they destroy all dead and decaying trees, it can also burn in a mosaic patterns which clears over crowded forests and allows the lower plants to have sunlight. However they are also hazardous to the health of humans and wildlife, destroy buildings, cost a lot of money to prepare and evacuate for, and can lead to water rationing. Wildfire can also upset the way that the soil naturally absorbs the rainfall. The stress of the possibility of having to quickly gather your belongings and evacuate your house not knowing if you will come back to a pile of ash or your house.
Human Environment interactions
When humans breathe in the smoke from a wildfire it may seem like it is just normal smoke that comes off of your campfire. However what they are actually breathing is a punchbowl of gases and particles that come off of the trees and other plants as they are burning and are carried with the smoke by the wind. Like all other types of smoke it can make your eyes and lungs burn which might be worse for the people who are older, smoke, or occasionally have trouble breathing. The smoke can also cause a huge problem for people when driving. If they don’t turn their headlights on and figure out how far they can see before they take off it will lead to accidents. Not everyone turns their headlights on and smoke is thick plus once you add the glare of the sun or lights from houses I would rather not drive. Have you seen how thick regular chimney smoke is now imagine driving through the smoke from a wildfire? Not to mention the rivers, lakes, and streams within that area are polluted with bacteria and pathogen that grew because of the things the fire caused the soil to release into them.
Possibilities/Arguments
One possibility to reduce the amount of acreage burned by wildfires would be to allow more logging. Logging would decrease the debris which builds up the ground fuels in the forests. But on the other hand one would argue that depleting our natural ability to produce our own wood and resources would hinder our economy verses fighting the wildfires. So maybe areas where there’s higher incidences of wildfire one could do a modified logging for every two trees cut down one is planted. This would thin out the forest but still allow the natural growth of more trees. The heavy equipment that is used for logging disturbs the wildlife and is a possible igniter of a wildfire.
A second possibility would be to have more prescribed burns. Which would burn the ground fuel in the forest to keep the area cleaner and safer before nature ignited them and caused a fire. The people doing the burns are human and don’t control the weather. Wind and dry climates can cause the fire to get out of control along with the negligence from the firefighters not watching it appropriately. Even in controlled fires there is a possibility of sparks igniting after several hours after it is proven to be extinguished.
A third possibility would be to have groups of people clean up the damage after a storm. To help prevent the debris from creating more ground fuel on the forest floor. This possibility seems to be impossible being that the forests are really large and there isn’t enough people to clean it up. Plus if we did we would be messing with wildlife’s natural habitat. In other words we cannot stop nature nor should we try.
The fourth possibility is to educate everyone on the importance of wildfire prevention. The government doesn’t allow smoking in bars so maybe we shouldn’t allow smoking near woodlands. Teaching homeowners that choose to live in forests to clear debris away from house to prevent their homes from catching on fire. Teach residence close to woodlands not to stack wood by their house. Teaching campers not to leave until they know their fire is actually put out. Not to burn garbage or other things where the ash and sparks can fly and hit the tree tops igniting an out of control fire. Teaching those with recreational vehicles to be aware of the fact that the hot motor could spread a spark igniting a fire. Not everyone has a television or would even attended an educational session. Do we have enough resources to continue to educate and reeducate it would be and ongoing deal? So remember just like Smokey the Bear says “Only you can prevent forest fires!”
The fifth possibility would be to figure out a way to control the different environmentalist groups that are hindering the changing of our forests. Environmentalists tend to get on a campaign or a rant on not wanting to thin forests or clean up debris they would like everything just the way Mother Nature put it. Not allowing the digging of trenches to avoid jumping of the fire. A person could argue though that environmentalist are defiantly good for our environment trying to keep nature just the way that God had intended it to be.
The last possibility is to get better equipment for the firefighters.
Not all places have upgraded or been allowed to upgrade to better equipment due to their budget. If the firefighters had better equipment to help stop wildfires maybe the wildfires we had this year wouldn’t have taken so long to put out or destroyed as much property. The uniforms they wear are designed to tolerate the heat of the wildfires. But there has been some that have burnt through because the fire was hotter than it could handle. But with the technology we have today this age could probably design a completely fireproof uniform. How would we pay for it? Because most of the firefighters that fight the wildfires are volunteers from all over the country and come from their own departments. Where would we get the supplies, scientists, and lab to even try to figure out how to make a completely fire proof uniform that withstands all heat temperatures. This wouldn’t exactly be a way to prevent wildfires but more of a way to keep our firefighters safe and able to fight to the fire
longer.
Summary
Not only is there wildfires in the Pacific Northwest but there is fires in many other geographical areas all throughout the world. Wildfires are destructive and helpful yet costly all in one big bundle of feelings. The wildfires that are not caused by humans but by nature are exactly that a natural disaster like a hurricane or a tornadoes. If we can reduce the amount of wildfires that are human-caused in this world or even in this region to start with maybe we wouldn’t see as much destruction or have to pay so much for homes in certain areas. So if we take the effects that natural wildfires have on the environment and look at it in a different direction. Then in a way as long as we have the equipment and man power to put them out before the whole state is destroyed they are actually helpful. However human-caused wildfires are something that should be stopped because nature should be the only thing igniting our forests.