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Environment Main Global Warming Natural Disasters Habitats FRESHWATER

Photo Gallery: Wildfires

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Fire is a natural part of a forest's life. In fact, the cones of some pine species won't release seeds unless they are exposed to intense heat. But small fires can quickly turn into runaway infernos—like this 1990 blaze in Chihuahua, Mexico—when conditions such as drought, dry air, high winds, and the buildup of forest debris conspire to stoke the flames. Photograph by Bruce Dale