Fire Ecology

Welcome aboard our virtual field trip to explore fire and the role it plays in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Many people think of fire as “bad,” especially when it threatens lives or property. But naturally occurring fires — those not started by humans—are neither “good” nor “bad.” They are a part of nature.

Historically, in Yellowstone National Park, fire has swept through the park's low elevation grasslands every 25-60 years. The forests in the center part of the park have burned every 250-400 years. Fire records kept in Yellowstone since 1931 show that an average of 22 wildfires are started each year by lightning.