Fire Birds: Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests

Gr 4–8—Blame it on Smokey the Bear and his "Only you can prevent forest fires!" campaign. We know today that the long-held U.S. Forest Service fire suppression policy led to a build-up of large amounts of dead wood and leaves, which, coupled with warmer temperatures and drier forests, has been responsible for some of the extreme fires witnessed in recent years. Adding to that information are the discoveries made by scientists studying these devastated areas, who have learned that various species flock to them and, in some cases, prefer them. In particular, Collard follows the work of Richard Hutto, a Montana ornithologist, who has been monitoring birds in charred landscapes since 1988. The book is both a look at the benefits of these potentially dangerous events of nature and an exploration of ecosystems that thrive in their wake. Wood-boring beetles that detect the infrared radiation emitted by fires arrive to lay eggs, and woodpeckers come to feast on the beetle larvae and nest. With a steady supply of food and fewer predators, avian young survive in greater numbers, and so it goes. The author also discusses private vs. public policy in response to forest fires and the questions surrounding the efficacy of salvage logging. Large print, glossy pages, and numerous full-page, up-close color photos of bird species add up to a handsome volume.