How to Deal with Soil Erosion in The Aftermath of Fires

Jan 26
18:23

2020

Nancy Whitman

Nancy Whitman

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Something that not many people know. Fires can really cause soil erosion. And, that the areas where fires are a common thing during certain parts of the year, it is increasing the erosion problems in the area. But is there something that we can do about it? Especially, when it comes to bushfires on farms and environmental reserves. There are some things that we can do about soil erosion to control it as much as possible after an environmental blaze. This is everything you need to know about soil erosion control after bushfires.

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Why is soil erosion higher after a bushfire?

The first thing that many don’t know is that soil erosion is a higher risk after a fire. We think that when the fire is put out,How to Deal with Soil Erosion in The Aftermath of Fires Articles the dangers and the damage is done. However, this isn’t the case. In most cases, if erosion control isn’t done, then the most damage happens after the wildfire.

This is why it is important to know why are soil erosion higher after a wildfire? This is because of what the fire is doing to the soil. In extreme heat, the soil can become Hydrophobic. Meaning that the soil doesn’t absorb the water, but repels it. Causing erosion, because the sand is running with the water, instead of the water soaking into the soil and preventing it from running and causing erosion.

Facts about soil erosion and bushfires

There are some interesting facts about bushfires and soil erosion that you might not know about. Facts that can prevent erosion in the future because of the bushfires that are ruining the soil and the land.

  • The most important and forgotten impact of bushfires is erosion. If the soil isn’t repaired immediately, it will not recover and will cause erosion. And, over time the erosion will just increase and become a serious problem.
  • Damaged trees that fell during a wildfire will reduce the risk of erosion when heavy rainfall pours down. The tree prevents the soil from running with the water downhill.
  • Straw bales are a great way to prevent erosion after a fire and will assist with re-growing grass to prevent erosion in the future. The sooner this can be done after a fire, the less erosion damage there will be.

Things that can be done after a bushfire to prevent soil erosion

The good news is that there are many things that can be done after bushfires to prevent and to control soil erosion. The first thing that needs to be done, is to test the soil to see if the soil is hydrophobic. If not, measures can be taken to ensure that the grass will regrow again. However, if the soil is hydrophobic, there are a couple of things that need to be done.

Adding a layer of straw on top of the soil, to assist with water absorption. And, it will make it easier to grow a different type of grass again. Just to plant seeds on top of the hydrophobic soil isn’t going to be successful. The moment that the seeds start to grow, it will prevent and control further erosion. While attempting to encourage regrowth of vegetation, it’s important to implement jute and coir matting. This method of erosion control helps to prevent further erosion from natural elements, such as rain and wind. Jute and coir is composed entirely of coconut husk, making it completely environmentally friendly.

Another great method is to make use of Contour Log Formations where logs are placed in strategic places to prevent erosion. However, this method is more expensive and not always possible to place correctly.

With bushfires, the one thing that we forget about is soil erosion. It can happen when the fire was extremely hot and made the soil hydrophobic. The only way to prevent soil erosion after a bushfire is to control it as soon as possible. In many cases, Gabion cages (including those supplied to areas throughout Melbourne), can be deployed to great effect, to help limit the damage caused by fire devastation. With this guide, you will now know what can be done after a bushfire to recover the soil as soon as possible to prevent as much erosion as possible.