The Parliament also often has to deal with natural disasters. Infestations of beetles, locusts, aphids, and other insects can strip forests and pastures in a matter of days or weeks. Moulds and rusts can ravage woodlands if unchecked. Old trees, which aren't as resistant to disease as younger ones, are particularly vulnerable. To prevent the spread of destructive insects and fungi, Elementals remove and dispose of infested plants as quickly as possible.
An excess of precipitation, sudden snowmelt, or high winds producing strong coastal waves may result in flooding. Floods can wash away valuable topsoil, destroy trees and buildings, and drown the unprepared. Elementals reduce the severity of river flooding by planting and maintaining the trees and grasses in elevated lands. This vegetation controls runoff and absorbs melted snow, preventing it from running off into rivers and causing the water to rise over the embankments. Seacoast floods, on the other hand, are almost impossible to prevent. However with sufficient warning, Elementals can warn others to seek protection in the highlands until the storm subsides.
Violent shifting of the earth's inner layers may produce earthquakes, which can occur anywhere in the world. Earthquakes can indirectly cause flooding and fires, but the biggest danger comes from avalanches, falling rocks, trees, mudslides, and collapsing buildings. Unusual animal behaviour (such as the agitated prancing of small mammals), spontaneous geyser eruptions, and clusters of small tremors often indicate an impending major earthquake. Earth Elementals of course can sense approaching quakes.
Higher than average temperatures and a lack of rainfall may result in a drought. When water is scarce, rivers dry up, vegetation withers, and animals suffer from dehydration. Elementals can't offset the overall effects of a drought, but he can reduce the local impact of the drought on marginal habitats by storing water, and encouraging others to do the same.
Fires are perhaps the most devastating of all natural disasters. A fire not only wipes out trees and vegetation, it also kills animals and pollutes lakes and rivers with ash. Travellers who carelessly burn trash or toss unwanted torches into the brush are a common source of fires. While lightning strikes are a primary cause of forest fires, some fires are intentionally set by enemies. Fighting fires isn't easy, nor is it something one agent can effectively do alone (unless he's a Fire Elemental). Because fires spread so rapidly, particularly in dry seasons, the chance of stopping a fire decreases with every moment it's allowed to burn. Water or dirt can be used to smother small fires. A fireline can be built, an area cleared of all vegetation and other combustible material. This helps contain larger fires, but an adequate fireline usually requires the efforts of many individuals working as a team. Once a fire is extinguished, a close watch must still be kept for many days, lest a smouldering limb start the fire blazing once again.

All in the grove are rendered immune to magical fear while within it. Natural (nonmagical) lightning never strikes trees or beings in the grove. Undead cannot enter the grove. Agents or those considered allies of the Parliament may heal wounds at twice the rate of natural healing while in the grove. Any source of water within the grove also has unusual healing properties. Anyone bathing in the water gains the benefit of simultaneous healing of all diseases, poisons, and any serious wounds. The water loses all special properties outside the grove's boundaries. A Parliament agent who spends the night sleeping in the grove may receive a magical portent in a dream concerning the past, present, or future. The nature of the prophecy remains the GM's decision, but usually warns of danger or hints at a task Nature wishes the agent to perform. All wild animals that enter the Grove are influenced by an aura of peacefulness within it and will not attack anyone.