ISSUE:

I hear a lot of talk about wildfires, but do they really cause that much damage?

FACTS:

In 2005, there were 744 wildfires that burned more than 15,000 acres of West Virginia woodland, and caused more than $4.5 million in damages.

Wildfire not only kills trees, but it destroys and damages all facets of the forest ecosystem. Burned and damaged trees become more susceptible to disease and homes for wildlife are destroyed. These wildfires cause severe soil erosion resulting in pollution and sedimentation of streams. The smoke and ash from these wildfires also cause varying degrees of air pollution.

Although every county in West Virginia is susceptible to wildfires, the largest wildland fires occur in 14 southern counties, a pattern that has not changed in the past 70 years.

In 2005, 41% of the wildfires in West Virginia were caused by debris burning. The second leading cause was arson at 31%, followed by equipment (15%), miscellaneous (6%), children (2%), smokers (2%), campfires (2%), and railroad (1%).

Underground mine fires, which are listed under “miscellaneous” causes, are a low percentage of the total number of fires but a very large amount of the acreage burned.

Trees that have been burned in the past appear to be healthy and green, but damage has occurred, and it may be 20 years before the trees begin to die. During this time, these trees are decaying inside. These trees eventually fall and can never be harvested for quality timber.