“This year (2012), a cool and wet spring with near record amounts of precipitation meant conditions were not ideal for burning in the mountains,” said Ogle. “While prescribed burns are not generally planned to occur in summer, ... Park’s Canada’s fire crews were kept extremely busy helping suppress wildfires in Wood Buffalo National Park and the Northwest Territories.”
Ogle noted fire crews were also busy providing support for the Octopus Mountain fire in Kootenay National Park.
JNP’s fire management program includes planned prescribed burns, which are part of an ongoing program to restore healthy forests and grasslands and reduce the risk of wildfire to the community of Jasper. Wildlife management specialists plan prescribed burns, but they can only proceed when the weather, forest fuels and burning conditions are favourable and the effect on the public is minimal.
“Prescriptions are so specific that it can take several years before all conditions are right to ignite,” said Ogle.
According to Ogle, prescribed burns in the mountain parks, including JNP, are a priority for Parks Canada and they support agency goals for the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity. Early policies for fire protection in the park called for suppression of all fires for nearly 70 years, which resulted in unhealthy forests, less wildlife habitat and an increased risk of wildfire to the community. Beginning in the mid 1980’s the park’s fire team worked to reintroduce fire to the park and help restore the many benefits of this natural process.
The wildlife management team use computer models, information networks, cultural considerations and years of experience to guide their decisions. Even after approval a prescribe burn can not proceed if the weather, forest fuels and burning conditions are not favourable.
Some future planned prescribed burns include the Pyramid Bench Community Fireguard, involving small prescribed fires extinguished each day and also some backcountry meadows in the lower sub-alpine regions.
“We are still confirming plans for next season and prescribed fires will proceed when factors, including conditions and capacity, align.” said Ogle.
