Sunday, August 05, 2007

Scorched Earth



Burned fields are a common sight this time of year in our region. The last rains were in April, so the vegetation is dry and brown. Some fires are accidental; others are set to clear the land or to force small game out into the open for hunting. The fires do not usually rage out of control or reach extremely high temperatures because there is very little undergrowth.

A fascinating phenomenon occurs when green shoots of grass spring up from the charred earth. Where do they get enough moisture to sprout? I'd love to know the answer!

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