The very mention of the word conjures up visions of flames, heat and destruction. Fire is a primal force of nature which can help the forest yet at the same time it can also result in destruction and tragedy. It is important for Canadians to understand the critical role forest fire management plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems, while reducing the economic, social and cultural losses.
Fire is controlled by fuels, weather and topography.
Before humans appeared in North America, wildfires, or fires that burn in natural environments, were largely controlled by climate. As a result, the current distribution and composition of vegetation zones and land-based ecosystems have adapted to wildfires. In other words, fire is the dominant ecological process for change in the forests of Ontario. The boreal forest was shaped largely by fire until well into the 20 th century. Fire has also been a major factor in the Great Lakes-St.