Fire Damage in the Pine Barrens of Long Island
The Ecology of the Pine Barrens
Pine Barrens forest fires have been a common occurrence. Fire has played a major ecological role in the Pinelands, and the ecotypes "suggest that short fire intervals may have been typical in the Pine Plains for many centuries." Forest fires play an important role in regulating the growth of plants in the Pine Barrens.
Frequent light fires tend to reduce the amount of undergrowth and promote the growth of mature trees. Forest fire is also a reason why the Pitch Pine is dominant in the Pine Barrens. Pitch Pines are common because of their ability to resist and recover from fire by resprouting directly through their bark (something very unusual for pines) and by serotinous pine cones which open only after having been heated by a fire.
The prevalence of forest fire allows the pitch pines to dominate over oaks, which by comparison are usually killed outright by a moderate or intense fire. High air temperatures and dry plant undergrowth contribute to the intensity of the fire.
While severe fires are uncommon, severe fires at fairly frequent intervals can eliminate species that do not bear seed at an early age. Frequent killing fires keep an area covered with small sprouts.
Efforts to battle forest fire attract debate over how to best preserve the Pine Barrens because of fire's danger to property and inhabitants.
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| House burned down on Wading River Manor Road, Manorville, during a brush fire in the Pine Barrens. |
Preservationists argue that eliminating forest fires would cause the Pine Barrens to become dominated by oak trees. A few areas which had previously consisted of scrub and pitch pine have already become dominated by oak trees due to the lesser frequency of forest fires.
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| Discarded water bottles from the brave Fire Fighters who battled for days to control the fire! |
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References: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Long Island Central Pine Barrens"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Barrens_%28Long_Island%29
