The Roots of Power

Every year millions of square kilometres of the world’s forests are destroyed by fire resulting in huge economic costs, tremendous damage to the environment, destruction of property, loss of timber, and loss of life. Anywhere in the world where there is vegetation subjected to extended hot, dry periods there are frequent fires. This is approximately one third of the land surface of the Earth with Australia, Southeast Asia, South Africa, the United States and Canada all badly affected. In the USA alone there are typically 100,000 forest fires each year destroying around 20,000 square kilometres of forest.