EARTHSC 2GG3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Invisible Waves, Pyrolysis, Fire Regime
16 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Wildfire dates to the time when trees first evolved 350 million years ago. Many fires start naturally as a result of lightning or lava from volcanic eruptions after a fire, vegetation completes a cycle from early colonizing plants to mature ecosystem. Wildfires through history the geologic record shows an increase in the amount of charcoal in sediment approximately. 10,000 years ago this suggests high amounts of wildfire activity at the time. A warmer and/or drier climate (relationship btwn the two) Increased use of fire by humans for clearing land and for heat, cooking, etc. Wildfire requires three elements: fuel, oxygen, and heat. If any of these are lost, the fire will dissipate plants accumulate carbon dioxide and store carbon in their tissues during a wildfire, this carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere. Wildfire in the grand scheme won"t affect climate or lead to climate change there are 3 phases to a wildfire: pre-ignition, combustion, and extinction.
