What ants call sky fire is wildfire, also known as wild fire or forest fire.
Wildfires are a natural phenomenon and a bad thing for nature, but they are not necessarily all bad.
Since the emergence of forests and grasslands on the earth, wild fires have occurred. On average, more than 100,000 wildfires occur every year on the North American continent, and these wildfires can destroy four to five million acres (about 1.6 million to 2 million hectares) of land. On average, more than 200,000 forest fires occur around the world every year, and the burned forest area accounts for more than 1‰ of the world's total forest area.
Wildfires generally require three conditions to occur: fuel, oxygen and a heat source. Fuel is any combustible object around the fire, including trees, grass, and shrubs. The more fuel, the greater the fire. Air provides the oxygen wildfires need to burn. A heat source increases the temperature of the fuel until it catches fire, and lightning, hot winds, or even the sun can provide enough heat to start a wildfire.
During dry and arid weather, nature turns green vegetation into dry fuel, high winds can spread wildfires quickly, and hot temperatures can speed up the burning process.
Wildfires can move at speeds of more than 20 kilometers per hour, and the fire is powerful enough to devour everything in its path, whether it is trees, shrubs or grass.
Driven by winds, out-of-control wildfires can quickly ignite dry brush and can completely burn acres of forest in just minutes. Some wildfires can burn for weeks, destroying tens of thousands of acres of pasture and forest.
Wildfires are not uncommon. Wildfires occur in most areas of the world, and some hot and dry areas have become frequent wildfire areas. Frequent thunder can create the perfect conditions for wildfires. If there are hot winds that often fuel a fire, a single blaze can ignite trees for miles around.
Wild fires are extremely harmful, killing and burning a large number of forest trees and vegetation, directly reducing the forest area. On the one hand, the forest stock volume is reduced, and on the other hand, the growth of the forest is seriously affected. Forest is a renewable resource with a long growth cycle, and it takes a long time to recover after a fire. Especially after high-intensity and large-area forest fires, it is difficult for the forest to restore its original appearance and is often replaced by secondary forests or shrubs. If repeatedly exposed to fire damage, it will become barren grassland or even bare land.
The forest understory also contains rich wild plant resources. However, wildfires can easily burn these precious wild plants, or the living environment has been changed due to fire disturbance, resulting in a significant reduction in their numbers or even the extinction of some species.
Moreover, wildfires can seriously damage the ecological structure and ecological environment, causing the ecosystem to lose balance, reduce biomass, and weaken productivity.
The wild is home to all kinds of rare birds and animals. Fires in wild areas such as forests and grasslands will destroy the environment that wild animals rely on for survival, and sometimes even directly kill or burn a large number of wild animals.
High-intensity fires can also destroy the chemical and physical properties of the soil, reduce the water retention and permeability of the soil, raise the groundwater level in some woodlands and low-lying lands, and cause swamping; in addition, due to the carbonization and warming of the soil surface, it can also cause It will accelerate the drying of burned areas, lead to the overgrowth of positive weeds, be detrimental to forest regeneration, or cause the replacement of low-value forests that are resistant to extreme ecological conditions.
Forests and grasslands have the function of conserving water sources and maintaining soil and water. The mechanical effects on branches, leaves and forest beds (ground cover) can greatly slow down the impact of rainwater on the surface. The sponge-like litter layer on the forest floor not only has the impact of rainwater, but also can absorb a large amount of water. In addition, the huge root system of the forest has a fixed effect on the soil, making the forest land rarely suffer from water and soil erosion. However, after a forest fire, this function of the forest will be significantly weakened, and even disappear in severe cases. Therefore, severe forest fires can not only cause water and soil erosion, but also cause natural disasters such as flash floods and mudslides.
Wildfires can also pollute water bodies, causing large amounts of silt and ash to be carried to downstream rivers or lakes, causing river siltation and changes in nutrients in the river water, causing a significant decline in water quality and serious changes in river water quality. Affect the survival of aquatic life.
In addition, wildfires can cause air pollution, and burning can produce a large amount of smoke, as well as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carbides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. When the content of these substances exceeds a certain limit, they will cause air pollution and endanger wildlife. Survive.
Although wildfires often cause serious harm and damage to local ecology, naturally occurring wildfires also have their own unique effects and positive aspects.
Wildfires slowly release the energy of the ecosystem, promote the transformation of ecosystem nutrients and species renewal, and are beneficial to the health of the ecosystem.
For example, wildfires can burn dead or rotting plants and return nutrients to the soil; wildfires can also have a disinfecting effect, eliminating diseased plants and harmful insects in the forest ecosystem; in addition, wildfires can burn away thick branches and leaves and low-lying trees. Short shrubs allow sunlight to reach the bottom of the forest, so that new seeds can sprout and grow, promoting the replacement of vegetation from generation to generation.
But for creatures that are facing disaster, encountering a wild fire is extremely unlucky, and they are often doomed.
Just like the protagonist is now, facing the surging wildfire, his mood has hit rock bottom, and he no longer has the joy of the harvest two days ago.
The line of fire was approaching extremely fast. Looking from a distance, from the skyline, the fire had reached a place not far from the river bank in an instant.
Although there are few forests in the large land nearby, mainly grassland, shrubs and scattered trees, the fire energy released by these dry vegetation is also extremely terrifying.
As far as the field of vision could reach, the fire was several meters high, heat and flames were billowing above, and even the distant scenes were distorted in the air.
Wildfire is like an airtight wall, pushing forward and crushing any resistance in front of it; like a cunning army, they know the tactics of outflanking and dividing. They first ignite the surrounding flammable grass, and then turn around and destroy the surrounded trees. Destroy little by little.
On the river bank, some big-headed ants who had received the news were already running wildly, trying to escape back to their nests through the only bridge between Linshui City and the river bank.
But there were more ants in the farmland who didn't know the danger had arrived. Even if the flying knights sent orders everywhere, they couldn't find all their companions among the weeds in the farmland.
As the wildfires approached, the air became drier and hotter, and the sky was no longer suitable for flying. The flying knights had to abandon their mission and hide back in their lairs.
