Fire is not always the enemy, and understanding the benefits of prescribed burns is essential. Take it from us, the Nature Conservancy (TNC), the world’s largest conservation organization. We operate in all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For 75 years (happy birthday to us!) our experience across diverse habitats have taught us three key lessons: fire can be beneficial, many forests depend on it, and preparing the next generation to use it safely is essential.
Fire is essential to maintain healthy forests.
Consider the usual way fire appears in the news. An out-of-control blaze consuming hundreds of acres, displacing families and threatening lives. How has such a destructive force existed for thousands of years without scorching the planet already? The answer is that many of today’s catastrophic wildfires are the by-product of suppressing natural fire.
Not all fires are destructive. In fact, many ecosystems depend on it . Historically, fire would move across landscapes every few years, clearing away debris, opening space for new growth and restarting natural cycles. Today, TNC carries out this important work throughout the state, with over 72,000 acres of controlled burns performed so far in 2026. In certain states, the TNC chapters work alongside the original ‘firelighters’ – Native American tribes- to carry on this essential practice.
What if the fire gets out of control?
This is a fair concern. However, prescribed burns are carefully planned. Fire crews track many environmental factors – humidity, moisture in the soil, wind, temperature – to ensure the right conditions. Otherwise, the ‘fire boss’ (a truly great title) will postpone the burn.
Crews also establish physical barriers to contain the fire, such as rivers, roads, or trenches. Each controlled burn an ecosystem undergoes reduced the risk of catastrophic wildfire by removing excess fuel. Not burning can make things worse, such as leaf litter, dead wood, and dense undergrowth go unchecked, becoming the perfect fuel for dangerous wildfires.
(Above) Talladega National Forest during TNC prescribed burn earlier this year. Credit: TNC.
(Below) Talladega National Forest two weeks after TNC prescribed burn. Credit: TNC.
Most forests need fire.
Fire-dependent forests can often be identified by the species within them. Some older trees even show visible fire scars, revealing how frequently natural burns have occurred for hundreds of years. The goal of prescribed fire is to replicate these historic patterns, restoring a process that ecosystems evolved to depend on.
What about wildlife? Doesn’t the fire affect them?
Just as plants and trees have come to depend on fire, so have animals. Instinctively, the species know to burrow, fly, or otherwise move away from the slow-moving burns. Afterwards, they are compensated well by the flourishing plants that spring up right after. Call it easy pickings.
TNC Fire crew reintroducing two Gopher Tortoise to their natural habitat. Credit: TNC.
Fire not only stimulates growth, it also improves forage and supports biodiversity. Some plants need fire to germinate, and others thrive in the open, sunlit conditions that follow. Without fire, invasive species and dense woody overgrowth can crowd out native plants, disrupting entire ecosystems.
A common misconception is that burning can harm the environment and air quality. While controlled burns do produce short-term smoke, it is much better than the uncontrolled and severe smoke events that come from dangerous wildfires. They also recycle nutrients back into the soil, improving long-term soil health .
An example of forests that don’t need fire are bottom land forests. Such forests depend on water to flood the land every so often. Like fire-dependent systems, they thrive when their natural cycles are maintained.
Training the next generation.
TNC in Alabama is the only organization trained at the strict level required by our federal partners, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to conduct prescribed fires on federal land. Most of those 72,000+ acres burned in partner land this year have taken place at national parks throughout the state. In addition, we have burned over 4,000 acres of our own land during that timeframe.
Student and Crew After a Successful Prescribed Burn. Credit: TNC.
Much of this work is made possible by volunteers, many from university fire programs. We train the volunteers to meet our standards ahead of fire season and they then receive hands-on experience while helping carry out real conservation efforts. Some also assist in studying fire-dependent ecosystems, adding to the ongoing research TNC and our partners conduct to strengthen land management strategies.
Investing in the next generation of fire crews is essential to community safety. Skilled practitioners know how to read weather patterns, manage fire behavior, and execute burns with precision. As this knowledge is passed down, communities benefit from safer, more effective fuel reduction efforts that lower the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires.
In the end, a well-trained fire workforce does more than protect ecosystems. It strengthens the safety and resilience of the communities that depend on them.
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s work in Alabama, visit nature.org/alabama
