Ponderosa Pines: Living With Fire

How is the Ponderosa pine able to grow throughout the American West? Well, the secret to the tree's success is how well it has adapted to fire. Join Park Ranger Haley Bercot as she describes the unique ways in which the Ponderosa pine is able to protect itself from fire. But, what about people, what about those of us who live in these fire prone ecosystems? What about our homes? Our belongings? Our lives? We’re not naturally adapted to fire, but I think we can make a start by following the example of the Ponderosa Pine. Ponderosas protect themselves from fire with their armor of thick bark. We can do the same by using fire resistant building materials in our homes, and surrounding our homes with a defensible space.