Fires in Forests
Different types of fires will have different ecosystems. Forest fires are considerably different to shrubland and grassland fires. It’s important to understand the different ecosystems to know what comes from the fires 
afterward. This also helps to understand the fires during them.
The Severity of the Fires
Fires burn with different severities and intensities. Mild to moderate fires will burn on the understory, removing the ground cover. This is usually the small trees and herbaceous plants that will grow back quickly afterward.
High-severity fires will burn through the crowns of the trees. These types of fires kill the dominant vegetation. These types of fires can run in two different ways. Some will require the ground fuels and others will grow without that support. The former are passive crown fires, while the latter are known as active crown fires.
The severity is often affected by the climate and topography. Drought years are when the higher severity fires are noticed. Upper slopes are also the most common places for severe fires. This is often due to the type of vegetation that grows here.
The Aftermath of High-Severity Fires
You’ll usually find a complex early seral forest habitat forming after a high-severity fire. Another type of ecosystem can be a snag forest with biodiversity happening at a high level.
These fires, and high-frequency fires, can lead to less plant litter building up. The soil temperatures below ground level will rise only a little and aren’t as lethal to the roots within the soil. Plants adapted to match the severity and intensity of fires for regrowth.
Importance of Fire Management
Fire management is essential. This isn’t about suppression of all fires but controlling them. After all, the forests is where the majority of birds and terrestrial mammals will live. This is especially the case in Canada’s forests, which cover 10% of land but harbor 70% of the mammals. Many of the species have adapted for the fires, mostly around the province of British Columbia. Changes to the characteristics of the fire will affect the regrowth and the species. Management and research is important to ensure the right regrowth happens.