Resources for Activity 7: Understanding Fire

Overview
Students will explore the patterns of change brought about by fires in a forest ecosystem.
They will also examine the environmental, social, and political factors that influence
forest- use decisions. Students will develop a broad perspective on the nature of forest
fires and how public and private sectors of society are affected by them.

Subjects: Ecology, Environmental Science, Math, Social Studies.

Student Pages
Fire in the 1980s
The Season of Fire - Yellowstone National Park, 1988
Biologists Add Fuel to Yellowstone Fire
Yellowstone: The Smoke Clears

Urban and Community Forestry Website Connections
www.plt.org/cms/urbanforestry

Additional Resources
"Fire's Role in Ecosystems: A Hot Topic" - An electronic fieldtrip from the Bureau of Land Management, available at:  www.efieldtrips.org

Two Sides of Fire Video explores the role of fire in a forest ecosystem. Videos are available for $15 for 1-4 orders. For ordering information contact the Temperate Forest Foundation at 503-579-6762.

ELC's "Firestorm: Thinking Critically About Environmental Issues"

This US Government Photos, Graphics, and Multimedia Webpage includes a wealth of resources—from blogs to podcasts to photo galleries and more.  Under the Science and Technology Podcasts, check out the “Earth Science Topics from the US Government Survey” for several podcasts on wildfires.

State-Specific Resources
Georgia fire information and pictures, made available by the Georgia Forestry Commission
California Student Page - Wildland Fire, Part of an Ecological Cycle
California fire information from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Earth & Sky Radio Correlations
This activity can be supplemented with related Earth & Sky radio shows that you can download for use in your classroom. Learn about the PLT and Earth & Sky Initiative.

Related Earth & Sky Shows:
- Sally Collins: 'No one expected forest fires to become so big a factor, so quickly'  (2008) 
- Why are Flames of Fire Different Color?  (2009) 
- Diane Davies on a Wildfire Alert System  (2009)