The first question that arises when it comes to the story of forest fires is: What exactly is fire? This question can simply be answered that it is a chemical reaction involving fuel, oxygen and heat. The molecules of a combustible substance move around at an ever more rapid pace as the substance heats until it ultimately combusts totally. When this combustion takes place, the chemicals in whatever substance is being heated are broken down and combined with the oxygen present in the air, with the substance acting as the fuel. This combination causes two things to occur, heat and light, which is essentially fire. The intensity of fire is determined by the amount of fuel present, and as the heat increases, so does the rate of its spreading to other fuel sources.
The next question to ponder is: What is the cause of forest fires? While the famous “Smokey the Bear” may tell us that only we can stop forest fires, the truth is that the overwhelming majority of forest fires are caused by lightning. There are other natural causes that can spark forest fires as well. Falling rocks can cause small sparks to be created, which in turn can light piles of dried out kindling such as twigs. Superheated lava from volcanoes can also engulf nearby forests, as can the superheated air caused by an eruption. However, as we all know humans can also cause forest fires. Sometimes these fires are started by accident, and sometimes on purpose.
There is a myriad of different fuels that allow a forest fire to burn. The typical fuels that fires consume in a forest include wood from trees, foliage from shrugs and even grass. Small bits of twigs or pine needles are examples of fine fuels, while larger logs, branches and whole trees that have been knocked to the ground would be examples of heavy fuels. Not all fuels have to be dead organisms; they can still be living, as with evergreen trees such