Resilience or reassembly: Wildfire–vegetation dynamics in rapidly warming subarctic forests of northwestern Canada

Rapidly warming subarctic forests in northwestern Canada exhibit resilience to climate change despite significant wildfire activity, with 88% of surveyed sites maintaining conifer dominance post-fire. A study across Nahanni and Nááts'įhch'oh National Park Reserves found that while tree recruitment was generally low—except where fire-adapted lodgepole pine thrived—tree growth may benefit from longer growing seasons and increased summer precipitation. Researchers analyzed 24 burned and unburned paired plots, assessing vegetation structure, composition, and dendrochronological samples to track postfire recovery trajectories. Although recruitment variability suggests potential reassembly rather than full resilience, forests in this region show adaptability if fire-free intervals remain sufficiently long. However, their long-term fate remains uncertain with projected increases in fire activity.

Zhao, S. V., Whitman, E., Dawe, D. A., Coop, J. D., Parks, S. A., & Parisien, M.-A. (2026). Resilience or reassembly: Wildfire–vegetation dynamics in rapidly warming subarctic forests of northwestern Canada. Ecosphere, 17(9). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70760