Ecosystems are constantly changing. They might be modified in small ways, such as a tree falling in the woods or in large ways, such as a forest fire.
Forest fires can be good and even necessary for a forest community. Forest fires return nutrients to the soil. Some plants, such as fireweed, have seeds that will not sprout until they are heated by fire. Some ecosystems depend on fires to get rid of debris. If fires are prevented, debris builds up to the point where the next fire might burn the shrubs and trees completely. A forest fire might change the habitat so drastically that some species no longer can survive, but other species might thrive in the new, charred conditions.
