why we can’t ‘just’ split big forests into multiple blocks so when a block burns it doesn’t spread through the whole forest.

Question

Well the title is the question.
With ‘split’ I mean create some space between blocks where fire has nothing to travel to the next block to spread.

I imagine that actions like dropping water with helicopters would also be unnecessary since we could ‘give up’ a burning block and then the fire would be over.

Or am I too naive about it?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

It’s also worth mentioning that, especially in pine forests, fire is part of the natural cycle. Many pine species’ pine cones won’t open and seed until there is a fire, helping ensure that the new growth won’t have a bunch of trees blocking the sun. If I remember correctly, part of the reason the 1988 Yellowstone fire was so bad (in addition to the drought that year) was because we had been too effective in putting out fires, meaning there was a lot of unmanaged undergrowth and dead tress, and not a lot of younger, healthier trees. once a fire got going, it took off. To this day, Montana and Wyoming forest service follow strict guidelines about which fires to fight and which to let burn.