Fire - Essential element in the evolution of Glacier National Park

In a large forest area like Glacier National Park, little pockets of fire during the dry season are not uncommon. However, since the year 2007, no major fire has broken out in the woods of Glacier National Park. After the 1910 benchmark fire year, the most dangerous Glacier National Park fire occurred in 2003 summer season.

Causes of Glacier Park fire
Apart from human negligence, several natural situations like lightening and excessive heat during the dry season have caused Glacier fires time and again. In 2003, the peak summer and extreme dryness were the major reasons of the fires that burned more than 136,000 acres of land.

Glacier National Park Fire- Not disastrous
Unlike the popular belief, occasional fires can help in the evolution of the vegetation in areas like the Glacier National Park. Glacier Fires helped in killing the older trees and gave rise to new generations of plants and trees that make the Glacier National Park green and beautiful today. Animals usually save themselves from the fire by going out of the area or taking refuge in crevices or the lakes.

It can thus be said Glacier fire is beneficial for the ecology and helps in providing vibrant vegetation in the future years. In a way, fire in Glacier Park helps to maintain the large number of plant species as some species of plants can only germinate in a post fire mineral seedbed.