Fires remove underbrush, clean debris, open the forest floor up to sunlight, and nourish the soil. And some species of trees and plants are fire dependent; they require the intense heat from fires for seed germination.
Fires - Big Burns
Fires are a natural part of Glacier National Park, and, in 2003, over 13 percent of the park burned. A big burn comes every decade or two and is needed to keep the forests healthy. Our government is just now figuring that out.