The Jasper Fire started on August 24, 2000, and burned over 83,000 acres, including the entire surface above known parts of Jewel Cave. The cave itself, its passages, and the life within were protected by thick rock, and although Jewel Cave breathes as air flows in or out with changing barometric pressure, not much smoke entered during the fire, showing that even smoke posed little threat to cave wildlife. The fire killed trees and other vegetation, leaving more water available to seep into the ground, which could increase the growth of cave formations, though too much water might also damage some fragile formations. Scientists expected few immediate effects but thought two changes would occur over time in Jewel Cave: more water entering its passages and that water having a different chemistry. Because the cave has experienced countless wildfires above it, these changes were considered neither unnatural nor unusual, but the fire created a chance to observe them for the first time and highlighted that surface and subsurface environments are connected in ways not yet fully understood.

Photo: William J. Toman

Photo: William J. Toman

Photo: William J. Toman

Photo: William J. Toman

Custer, South Dakota · USA