Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical
damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems around the
globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological
systems. Its negative effects include hazard to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water
contamination. If fire removes protective vegetation, heavy rainfall may lead to an increase in soil
erosion by water. Also, when vegetation is burned, the nitrogen it contains is released into the
atmosphere, unlike elements such as potassium and phosphorus which remain in the ash and are
quickly recycled into the soil. This loss of nitrogen caused by a fire produces a long‐term reduction
in the fertility of the soil, which can be recovered as atmospheric nitrogen is fixed and converted
to ammonia by natural phenomena such as lightning or by leguminous plants such as clover, peas,
and green beans.