This research update from Emma Davis of Carleton University relates to historical fire research through the Healthy Landscapes program.
Wildfires play an important role in maintaining the health of our boreal forest. In Canada, two of the main drivers of fire events are climate and vegetation composition. Contemporary fire management strategies, which include active fire suppression and whose influence may override these factors, can have negative effects on the landscape. In order to properly manage wildfires in our present-day forests, a long-term understanding of the regional fire dynamics is needed that allows researchers to situate the present fire regime within the context of past events.
