How Do Wildfires Impact the Environment?

Wildfires can be extremely harmful to the environment, with some blazes scorching vast areas of land and leaving behind a wake of destruction that has long-term impacts on entire ecosystems.

In addition to altering vegetation patterns and destroying habitats, wildfires can degrade water and air quality. These effects can not only impact plants and animals, but they can also be consequential for humans.

At the College of Natural Resources, researchers have studied these effects and shared their insights over the years. Check out the sections below to learn more.

Plants

Wildfires can have a wide range of effects on trees, shrubs and other plants in affected areas, according to Robert Scheller, a professor of forestry and environmental resources at NC State.

“The outcome varies from fire to fire because it depends on their intensity, frequency and the ecosystem involved,” said Scheller, who studies fire ecology.

Although wildfires can promote new growth by releasing nutrients back into the soil, for example, they can also allow invasive plants to establish and spread.

Animals

While many animals can evade the heat and smoke of wildfires by seeking cover or fleeing to safe areas, those that are immobile or too slow face increased risk of injury or death.

“There are always winners and losers following fires,” said Christopher Moorman, a professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at NC State, who studies the effects of natural disturbances on wildlife.

A 2023 study co-authored by Moorman, for example, found that the increase in understory woody vegetation following high-intensity wildfires benefits some birds.

Water Quality

Wildfires can leave behind large areas of burned vegetation, and without that vegetation to slow down precipitation, the soil’s ability to absorb rainwater significant decreases.

“There will be more water flowing to the rivers once you have big storms after fire. When water flow increases and accelerates, bank erosion can occur” said Ge Sun, a professor of forestry and environmental resources at NC State.

If erosion occurs, rainwater can carry ash, nutrients and other pollutants into streams, rivers and downstream reservoirs used for drinking water supplies.

Air Quality

Wildfires can release substantial amounts of smoke containing particles from burning vegetation and other materials, degrading air quality and posing a public health threat.

Airborne particles are so small that they can be inhaled and cause severe health problems, according to Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, an associate professor of the practice of forestry and environmental resources at NC State.

“The most severe impacts tend to be cardiovascular and mortality,” Richmond-Bryant said. “When you’re exposed to high quantities of particulate matter, even in a short period of time, it can lead to stroke or cardiac arrest.”