Out of the Fire

Published Friday, January 01, 2010

As Billy Joel said, “We didn't start the fire. No, we didn't light it but we tried to fight it.” Before fire intervention techniques were introduced to the Long Island Pine Barrens of Suffolk County, N.Y., fire would break out every 15-25 years. The fires would naturally eliminate weaker trees and brush and fire resistant, well-rooted trees prevailed. In 1995, despite intervention efforts, a really nasty fire dubbed “The Sunrise Wildfire” ravaged Long Island's Pine Barrens and threatened bordering commercial property. An expert attributed that event to fire intervention, which allowed too many weak trees to survive over ...

Out of the Fire

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