Fire Effect on Birds - Page 3

Where in the past a fire caused by lightening might burn for a hundred miles across a coastal plain, today natural fires are generally restricted to a few hundred acres. The lesser frequency and limitation of natural fires results in a buildup of dead materials on the ground. When fires do come to such a buildup, they are very hot and destroy much more life than relatively cool fires with limited litter. In addition, southern pines are being crowded out by hardwood trees, and birds that depend on the open pine forests are disappearing. Forest managers know the value of frequent fire in promoting the growth of fire-adapted species and in preventing infrequent but disastrous fires.