Fuel accumulation in a high-frequency boreal wildfire regime: from wetland to upland

A significant increase in flammable biomass was observed in upland sites within Wood Buffalo National Park over 97 years, particularly in mature moist conifer forests dominated by black spruce or white spruce. This accumulation was not consistent across all wetlands, except where tree cover was dense. The study, conducted in a high-frequency fire regime, measured fuel loading and structure at 66 sites, revealing that canopy fuels drove the increase, while surface fuels remained relatively constant. These findings highlight the role of fuel availability and structure in wildfire dynamics within boreal ecosystems.

Thompson, D. K., Parisien, M.-A., Morin, J., Millard, K., Larsen, C. P. S., & Simpson, B. N. (2017). Fuel accumulation in a high-frequency boreal wildfire regime: from wetland to upland. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 47(7), 957–964. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2016-0475