Yosemite National Park Established

For almost 100 years after the park was established there was a fire suppression policy, all fires were quickly extinguished.
During this time very few seedlings thrived.
The small seedlings need a cleared, nutrient-rich environment to become established. Without fire the conditions are very uncommon.
The mature trees have a thick fire-resistant bark.

Fire suppression policies are environmentally unhealthy to a growing, maturing forest.

Rob

 

The forests did OK before there were men in them. Fires raged til they burned themselves out. When man came, the Indians usually fled the fires, occasionally clearing a firebreak.