No matter what Smokey might say, fire is an crucial element for life in many of Florida's habitats, and plants have evolved to withstand, even take advantage of low intensity fires. These cabbage palms have a fire resistant trunk and a well protected terminal bud, the point where new growth occurs. Fires can create openings for seeds to sprout and thrive. In fact, some plants have seeds that germinate only after a fire. Even some of the ground cover plants like saw palmetto will burn to the ground but aren't killed. They'll resprout afterwards and quickly recover. Regular burnings prevent the buildup of duff, the dry leaves, branches and needles that cover the ground, so that when fires do occur, they are low intensity rather than a major blaze — Photo by David Sedore
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