The history of wildfires and wildfire detection in Missouri is an important one. Missouri is home to 92 state parks and even more beautiful land and trails. Experts and naturalists work hard everyday to educate people and protect land. And of course, with climate change in mind, it’s important to know about the state of environmental catastrophes. In Missouri, wildfires have never been a huge problem like states along the west coast have experiences. Nonetheless, the history and current state are important to know.
Missouri wildfires are actually declining over time. The use of new technology allows for constant monitoring for activity that could lead to wildfires. The Missouri Department of Conservation plays a huge role in the prevention of wildfires, constantly bringing awareness to the issue and educating people. This includes the fact that not all fires are bad.
Yes, you read that right. Burns are actually prescribed and controlled in certain areas to protect the land and can be crucial to maintaining specific environments. For example, in prairies, a prescribed burn will burn up the dead grass and break it back down into the soil. Letting dead grass build up can block the paths of animals or potentially be a fire hazard.