There are two different, competing environmental issues here:
Humans burning things releases carbon into the atmosphere, which has raised the average global temperature and caused issues around the world. That's why you're not supposed to burn wood, it releases more CO2 into the atmosphere and makes it worse.
Forests naturally have occasional fires without human intervention. There are parts of that ecosystem which rely on having a fire happen every so often (for example, some pine cones do not open up and spread their seeds unless exposed to fire). Humans however don't like forest fires because they sometimes spread to their homes and businesses, so historically they've been suppressed as far as possible. This has had a negative effect on those ecosystems that are dependent on occasional fires.
In other words: some plants and animals will die out without some forest fires. We want to stop this. It does release carbon into the atmosphere, but it's deemed an acceptable tradeoff for the forest ecosystem continuing to exist. However, humans burning wood is not necessary for them to continue to exist, and the mass burning of wood may actually harm humanity's chances of continuing to exist. So that practice is regulated.
TedwinV t1_j1xp8dm wrote
Reply to ELI5: Why is burning wood (local, natural) considered bad for the environment, yet naturally occurring forest fires considered good for climate stabilization? by prendrefeu
There are two different, competing environmental issues here:
Humans burning things releases carbon into the atmosphere, which has raised the average global temperature and caused issues around the world. That's why you're not supposed to burn wood, it releases more CO2 into the atmosphere and makes it worse.
Forests naturally have occasional fires without human intervention. There are parts of that ecosystem which rely on having a fire happen every so often (for example, some pine cones do not open up and spread their seeds unless exposed to fire). Humans however don't like forest fires because they sometimes spread to their homes and businesses, so historically they've been suppressed as far as possible. This has had a negative effect on those ecosystems that are dependent on occasional fires.
In other words: some plants and animals will die out without some forest fires. We want to stop this. It does release carbon into the atmosphere, but it's deemed an acceptable tradeoff for the forest ecosystem continuing to exist. However, humans burning wood is not necessary for them to continue to exist, and the mass burning of wood may actually harm humanity's chances of continuing to exist. So that practice is regulated.