Large Fires at Okefenokee Proving Beneficial
From mid-April until early October, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was on fire. Two major fires, which merged in May, burned 85 percent of the 402,000 acres in the refuge, located mostly on the Georgia side of the state’s border with Florida, famous for its herons, egrets, ibises, cranes, and alligators.
One fire started north of Okefenokee and had tragic consequences: the loss of 18 homes. For the refuge and its wildlife, however, the fires did far more good than harm. “Fire is an integral part of this ecosystem,” notes James Burkhart, supervisory refuge ranger. “Mostly it was a surface fire and did little damage to plant root systems.” For example, ferns quickly sprouted in the wetlands, creating lush green carpets. Meadow beauties and other wildflowers also added color. “It wasn’t long after the smoke cleared that you could take visitors out there and they couldn’t even tell where the fire came through,” Burkhart says.
“We also have high hopes for a significant benefit for our fishery. Because of low water levels the past 15 to 20 years, swamp PH levels have increased, giving the water the acidity of pickle juice. Largemouth bass, for example, have trouble feeding and even breathing in those conditions. We believe that enough woody vegetation burned to create sufficient amounts of potash to help raise the PH level to a more tolerable condition. We anticipate the largemouth bass and other species will begin to rebound nicely.”
Biologists doubt that there was much wildlife mortality during the fire. “Most species flee, and then return once the active fire subsides,” Burkhart explains. “However, the fire has caused a decline in nuts, berries, and other sources of protein needed by our large black bear population, forcing these animals to forage farther from the swamp’s protective interior. This has led to more bears being taken during the state’s annual hunt. We are watching this situation closely.”
Most of Okefenokee is also part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is the third-largest wilderness east of the Mississippi, after the Everglades and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The second fire was caused by a lightning strike inside the wilderness, and fire managers created a fire line where the swamp meets forested uplands. “The swamp was full of surface vegetation that had dried during a prolonged drought,” Burkhart notes, “and it just about exploded when the fire hit.” Despite the best efforts of skilled firefighters, the inferno burned out of the refuge and well into Florida.
Across the country, wildfire is a growing challenge, and our team of ecologists and other experts is working with firefighters, government officials, and others to reduce the threat to people and their homes while encouraging sophisticated fire management regimes that incorporate the latest scientific knowledge. “As the Okefenokee fires showed, wildfire can provide important natural benefits, and we want to promote practical policies that maximize those benefits,” says Dr. Gregory Aplet, an ecologist in our Denver office.
