by Jessica Fierro

Created on: May 01, 2009

A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that occur in mostly wild land areas. Wildfires can also destroy homes and agriculture. They are labeled wildfires due to the size, speed, and stability to change directions instantaneously from one directio to the next. Wildfires can cross river, streets, and gaps in the land. Wildfires are quick and highly destructive.

Small fires are necessary for plant species to thrive. Plant species need fires to grow and continue thier life cycle. The larger wildfires could have damaging effects on the atmosphere.

Almost all of the Earth's weather and pollution occupy the troposphere. The troposphere is the lowest and densest part of the Earth's atmosphere in which most weather changes occur and temperature generally decreases reapidly with altitude. The troposphere extends from the Earth's surface to the bottom of the stratosphere. The stratoshpere is the part of the Earth's atmosphere which extends form the top of the troposphere to about 30 miles (50 kilometers) above the surface and which the temperature increases gradually to about 32 degrees Farenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and clouds rarely ever form here.

When a thunderstorm or cumulus cloud exists over a large wildfire, it cause smoke, soot, and other pollutants to enter as high as the lowest part of the stratosphere. The ozone will then exceed health and safety standards three times as much as it normally would. The ozone is a triatomic very reactive form of oxygen that is a bluish irritating gas with a disgusting putrid smell.

The concentration of ozone in the lower area of the atmosphere is damaging the air we breath and is harmful to our health and the environment. It is therorized that the concentration of these wildfire emisions will increase the amount of solar radiation. Skin cancer, skin photodamage, and mild to severe burns on the skin are all effects of too much solar radiation.

With the atmosphere being damaged, it is very unstable. The instability of the atmosphere can settle above the fire an the wind speed will increase causing the fire to increase in size and speed and has the ability to change direction at any time. This is called a blowup and can be caused by the already damaged atmosphere.

The atmosphere can also create strong winds that will cause sparks or embers to be lifted up past the center column of the fire, and be thrown to an area outside of the original fire zone, and those sparks will create totally new fire in a different spot. This is called spotting.

Although fires are essential in reproduction of plants, animals, and humans, wildfires have very damagig effects on the atmosphere. They contribute to the pollution in the atmosphere and damage the ozone. Ultimately this will have devestating and some permanent effects on the Earth and the people who live on it.

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