Set against a dark spring storm, silver-white ghosts of a burned out forest shine in the bright sun. Ironically, the same fires that killed the adult trees in 1988 also brought new life to the forest. Many pines need fire to fully open their cones and release the seeds contained inside. 

Decades of well-intended fire suppression have caused the health of most American forests to decline. Prolonged fire suppression allows massive amounts of fuel to build up on the forest floor. When fires eventually occur they are unnaturally intense and kill everything in their path. Periodic natural fires creep along the ground and seldom kill healthy trees. Nutrients from burned leaf litter, pine needles, and wood goes back into the soil. Seeds from fire-opened pinecones use these nutrients to replace trees previously lost to wind, old age, and fire. Periodic fire rejuvenates a forest in a variety of ways, and keeps young and old trees flourishing. The 1988 fires in Yellowstone were the worst in recorded history, and are an example of the harm done by well-intended fire suppression.