-1 Wood is a composite of tissues found in trees, also known as secondary xylem.

Secondary xylem is made up of mainly cells, called vessel elements in angiosperms, and

their made by a meristematic tissue called the vascular cambium (Seth, M.K, 2003).

Newly made vessel elements provide water from the roots to the leaves and as new cells

are being created the tree increases in diameter. The chemical properties of wood are

made up of a number of substances. Cellulose makes up about 50 percent of the woods

weight. Lignin is about 23 to 33 percent of softwoods and about 16 to 25 percent of

hardwoods(Encyclopedia Britannica, 2006). Wood varies in weight, strength, and

appearance, but there are two main types. The first one is called softwoods which are

trees with small, hard, thin, often needle shaped leaves(Needles or Broad Leaves). Pines,

firs, spruces and cedars are some examples and they are known as evergreens because

they keep their leaves year round. The second one is called hardwood trees which are

strong and tough and because they have wide, flat leaves, they are called broad-

leaved(Needles or Broad Leaves). Oaks, beeches, elms and hickories are some examples

and in some tropical places they are also known to be evergreens. But most often when

autumn comes the old leaves fall and new ones grow by the next spring. The opposite of

evergreens are called deciduous which lose and regrow their leaves each year. So how

fast do trees grow? Most softwoods grow faster than hardwoods. After 20 years a Scotch

pine grows 36 feet high, and an oak only grows 29.5 feet high. But at 60 years old a pine

is fully grown and is ready to get cut down, while the oak is still growing at 100 years

old.

Ply wood are layers of thinly sliced wood glued together and is a very good

building material. It dates from 1500 B.C and has very good strength, lighter weight, and
durability and is used for many tasks. There are two types of plywood. Interior plywood

is for internal use and is used for dry places and exterior which is made with water proof

glue.

Oak trees take a 100 years to mature and may live on for another 900 and could

reach to the height of 150 feet . They provide one of the strongest and most durable of

timbers. There are about 450 species and they grow through the temperate zone of the

northern hemisphere and at high altitudes in the tropics. 75 are native in the United States

and the best known species is the white oak.

Maple has brilliant coloring and is one of the most popular trees for parks and

streets. It is also a good source used for maple sugar and maple wood. There are 200

species found in northern temperate regions and could be found in North America,

Europe, and Northeast Asia. The North American Indians figured out that these trees gave

maple syrup and maple sugar and discovered a way to tap them. The pilgrims planted

trees and they are still giving sap today.

Wildfires can be caused by many things like volcanoes, and spontaneously ignited

coal seams but most of the time they are caused by lightning. An average of 1.2 million

acres of U.S woodland is burnt every year and more than four out of every five wildfires

are caused by people(Facts about wind and wild fires). This shows the carelessness and

that they don’t care what happens around them.

Wildfires are most frequent in areas that have a seasonal drought. For example,

the most noted places on earth are areas in Australia, western Cape of South Africa and

some of the dry forests and grasslands of North America and Europe. In the summer, fall,

and winter wildfires in forests and grasslands in North America are very powerful.
Western U.S have the most affecting fires in the summer and fall, while the southern fires

are the hardest in winter and spring because that’s when dried out leaves, branches, and

other flammable materials fall and cause a great problem. Of the fifty states in the U.S,

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and California, experiences

the worst. The loss of valuable timber and the effect of fire on soils, watersheds, and

water quality are some concerns people have.

There are three conditions in which a wildfire is needed to burn. They need fuel,

oxygen and a heat source. Fuel is any material that is flammable surrounding a fire. For

example, trees, grasses, and homes in the way of the fire are great sources. Without any

oxygen the fire will not burn. A way to prove this is by getting a candle and if you cover

it up the flame will go out. That’s because there is no oxygen around the candle. The last

thing needed is a heat source that will spark the wildfire and bring any flammable

materials to temperatures high enough to ignite.

Forest fires causes a lot damages, kills plants, animals, and structures get

destroyed. Even the people trying to stop them either get hurt or killed. Forest fires also

contribute into global warming because during the fire, greenhouse gases are being

released into the air. The major gases being released are carbon dioxide, methane, and

nitrogen dioxide(Omi, 2005).

Although they are harmful and destructive to human, they also take a role in

nature. It returns nutrients to the soil especially calcium, magnesium, potassium, and

phosphorus. Wildfires can also be a disinfectant by removing diseased-ridden plants and

harmful insects from a forest ecosystem(wildfire, 2001).

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