The fires of 1988

I was a Baby Boomer who grew up with Smokey the Bear's admonishment, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires!" I lived in Franklin Park, Illinois, with Forest Preserves which never burned. Nonetheless, my Catholic guilt keep me from ever doing anything that might ignite a fire and kill Bambi.

Now, as with many things, we know more about ecosystems and the "necessity" for a forest fire clearing out old growth, and allowing new trees to take their place.

As Paul and I drove around Yellowstone, it was clear a major fire had been through.

You can see the burnt Lodgepole Pines rising above the new trees.

  I did some research:

"The fires spread to forested sections near to, but generally away from major structures, but 19 small structures were destroyed and there was also extensive damage to an old dormitory. The fire was so intense that vehicles left near the fire had their wheels melted, windshields shattered and paint scorched. Though most of the Old Faithful complex had been spared, the park service decided that for the first time, the entire park would be closed to non-emergency personnel on September 8. The night of the 9th and the morning of the 10th of September, the North Fork fire jumped a fireline along its northeastern flank and approached Mammoth Hot Springs where a large concentration of historical structures as well as the Park Headquarters is located. Rain and snow arrived in time to slow the fires before they threatened the complex. By the time the North Fork fire finally died down, it was responsible for 60% of the burned area within the park; more than 400,000 acres had been burned."

Later, I read lodge pole pine cones needed heat to explode and thus reseed.  Most fires are caused by lightning.

Need I say it? Nature knows best. Yellowstone has had a beautiful rebirth and will hopefully continue.