Without human intervention, how do fires start in nature?

Question

I understand that some landscapes require natural fires every few years to remain healthy. We stop fires from happening near homes, and this is not good for the forest-- that is why we have prescribed burns. But, how would a fire "naturally" start every few years if left untouched by humans? Is lightning the ONLY reason?

Answer 1

Chipmunks smoking in bed.

Ok, not really. It's mostly lightning, but once in a while the heat from decaying vegetation causes a pile of dead plants to burst into flame in what is called spontaneous combustion. That's why farmers let hay dry before bailing it. When they used to store bales of hay in barns, wet hay was the leading cause of barn fires.

Answer 2

Spontaneous combustion can occur without the aid of an external flame. Around us we have heat, fuel and oxygen, everything required to create fire. The only reason the chair your sitting on doesn't burst into flames is because the mixture of these three elements is not correct.
Once the mixture of these three are correct, ( between the upper and lower limits of flammability) you will have a fire.

This is one reason why these forest fires take place. The sun is so strong (heat), on the forest floor (fuel), that it only takes the wind (oxygen) to set it alight.
Hope you enjoyed your first lesson in the chemistry of fire. It's called the "Triangle of Combustion".
By the way, to extinguish combustion you must remove one of the three elements. That's why it's so tough for those brave firefighters'.

Answer 3

never said humans created it. and guess what, we can recreate parts of the human body, i'm sure one day we could learn how to create a lot of things from nature. also if i knew how the earth and universe came to be i wouldn't be sitting here arguing with you about it, i would probably have some nobel prize or something. i don't KNOW if there is a god and i don't KNOW what created everything or how it came to be. i am an atheist therefore i do not BELIEVE it was created by a god.

Answer 4

usually by lightning strikes....but somwtimes its just combustion...fires in the forests that start without human intervention are usually natures way of cleansing the Earth.
After all they have been around since before man

Answer 5

Lightning is the main reason.

However, dry heat is a possibilty. Every object (or nearly every object) has a combustion point (or temperature). Once the surrounding air reaches a certain temperature, the object spontaneously combusts.

Answer 6

Why no news of fires in Brazils Amazon forests?
The fires in California are serious and are causing much hardship but are tiny compared to the forest fires in Brazil that have closed airports, filled hospitals and threaten to change the WORLD'S climate.

Why no news?

Try this link;

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/1016-amazo...

Answer 7

One reason is globules of water hanging from leaves, They act like a magnifying lens with the sun shining through them. This starts a fire. Usually from morning dew.

Answer 8

Lightning strikes normally.

Answer 9

as fare as i know lightning is the only way unless a squirrel caused a spark rubbing his nuts

Answer 10

Lightning, volcanic activity and hot air outta Bush's mouth all contribute.