Expert: If You Suppress Forest Fires Too Long, The Fires Get Bigger

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Doctor Ethan Freid is an expert in the floristics and ecology of the Lucayan Archipelago and is a botanist at the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve. I asked him about the recent string of forest fires we’ve seen in our northern islands.

Dr. Freid tells us these kinds of fires should occur every three to five years. But what about the animals that live in these pine forests?

He warns that if underbrush accumulates too long without burning, when the time does come for a fire, it can make things worse.

But just because many of the fires are part of a natural cycle doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take care to prevent causing them ourselves.

Avoiding things like throwing trash or cigarettes out of your car are a good start, and you can also take steps to protect your property.