A Forest Management Partnership Guide for Florida Landowners

Resources

For Educators

Fire!! Friend or Foe?

Friendly fire.

Brush fires are nature’s way of cleaning house. They burn away dead wood and excess brush in the forest. These fires actually benefit wildlife. They control weeds, kill many insect pests, and make room for new trees to grow.

A deadly foe.

When wildfires get out of control, they cause major losses––trees, wildlife habitat, homes, possibly lives. Although Florida is the lightning capital of the world, most wildfires now are started by people. The Division of Forestry's highly trained fire fighters and foresters are well equipped to fight wildfires wherever they occur.

When Fire Strikes, Where do Animals Go?

Fires can do good and harm at the same time. Most animals can escape fires. Some even end up benefiting from “friendly” fires. When fire strikes, animals leave any way they can. Deer, foxes, bears, and panthers are good runners. Rats, mice, moles, snakes, lizards, and turtles head out of the forest or go underground. Birds fly away. After the fire, growth begins again as native plants come back and trees are replanted and thrive. The birds and animals always come back.

In This Section

What YOU can do

Don’t play with matches.
Be watchful.
Help your family clear dry leaves and pine straw away from the house.
Tell someone if you see a suspicious fire.
To learn more, visit the Smokey Bear website