Fire in the Forest

An accessible account of how forest fires work, the ecological effects they have, and why and how we fight fires.

Peter A. Thomas (Author), Robert S. McAlpine (Author), Kelvin Hirsch (Contributions by), Peter Hobson (Contributions by)

9780521822299, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 September 2010

238 pages, 12 b/w illus. 119 colour illus.
28.5 x 22.5 x 1.6 cm, 0.91 kg

'Fire in the Forest is an interesting international introduction to the intriguing and sometimes enigmatic role that fire plays in natural and increasingly human-inhabited ecosystems. It is presented from a non-technical, but well-referenced, point of view by the two primary authors, who are well positioned to provide such insights on this topic. … highly recommended …' Plant Science Bulletin

How destructive or beneficial are forest fires to wildlife? Should we be trying to reduce or increase the amount of fire in forests? How are forest fires controlled, and why does this sometimes fail? What effect will climate change have? These and many other questions are answered in this richly illustrated book, written in non-technical language. The journey starts in the long geological history of fire leading up to our present love-hate relationship with it. Exploring the physics of how a single flame burns, the journey continues through how whole forests burn and the anatomy of firestorms. The positive and negative ecological effects of fires are explored, from plants and wildlife to whole landscapes. The journey ends with how fires are controlled, and a look to the future. This book will be of interest to ecologists, biogeographers and anyone with an interest in forest fires and the role they play.

1. In the beginning …
2. Historical review
3. How a fire burns
4. Fire in the wild landscape
5. Fire ecology
6. The benefits of fire and its use as a landscape tool
7. Fire suppression
8. Wildland fire and its management – a look towards the future
9. Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Applied ecology [RNC], Forestry & related industries [KNAL]