Effects of Forest Fire on Soil Properties

Abstract

One of the most harmful challenges to our forest is fire. The impact of forest fires on soil physical properties had an emphasis on texture, bulk density, porosity, aggregate stability, and water content and repellency. Following the fire, the surface soil of the burned region had higher soil pH, total nitrogen, accessible phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels than the unburned area. The low intensity of the fire caused the organic matter in the soil and the litter to burn, increasing the availability of nutrients and -promoting herb regeneration and post-fire community expansion. Higher-intensity fires completely destroy soil organic matter, volatilize nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and kill microorganisms, while Mn, Mg, and other micronutrients are completely burnt at very high temperatures. Some nutrients were more readily available by the burning of soil organic matter (OM), such as N, P, and S, while others were volatilized. Controlled fire did not result in any significant changes to the nutrients or physico-chemical composition of soil and can be utilized as an efficient management technique to reduce the harm caused by wildfires to soil. Remote sensing and GIS technology are the highly advanced tools used to detect forest fires, calculate burned areas, and determination of changes in land use.