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Fire Regimes in Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories, Canada

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Fire Regimes in Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories, Canada FIRE REGIMES IN NAHANNI NATIONAL PARK AND THE MACKENZIE BISON SANCTUARY, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA P.M. Bothwell, W.J. de Groot, and D.E. Dubé Canadian Forest Service, 5320 - 122 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, Canada T. Chowns Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development, Box 4354, Hay River, NWT X0E 1G3, Canada D.H. Carlsson and C.N. Stefner Canadian Forest Service, 5320 - 122 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, Canada ABSTRACT Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary are ecologically important areas in the Northwest Territories. Fire history data in Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary were used for a comparative analysis in order to identify the most influential characteristics of their respective fire regimes. The Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary is located on the Taiga Plains and is surrounded to the east and south by Great Slave Lake. Nahanni National Park is located in the Mackenzie Mountains, approximately 500 km west of the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary. Elevation relief in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctu­ ary is 160–260 m, and in Nahanni National Park is 180–2,640 m. Fuels are similar in both study areas and are dominated by low-density coniferous forest. Nahanni National Park has a significantly higher mean annual occurrence of very high and extreme classes of Canadian Fire Weather Index System codes and indices. Fire scar data indicate weighted mean fire return intervals (MFRIs) of 28 years and 27 years, respectively, for Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary. Area burned totals from a national database of fires greater than 200 ha in area suggest a fire cycle of 1,142 years and 199 years, respectively, for Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary. Differences in average fire size (1,149 ha in Nahanni National Park and 7,806 ha in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary) are partially attributed to topographic differences between the two areas. keywords: boreal, fire frequency, fire history, fire regime, mean fire return interval, Northwest Territories, topography. Citation: Bothwell, P.M., W.J. de Groot, D.E. Dubé, T. Chowns, D.H. Carlsson, and C.N. Stefner. 2004. Fire regimes in Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories, Canada. Pages 43–54 in R.T. Engstrom, K.E.M. Galley, and W.J. de Groot (eds.). Proceedings of the 22nd Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference: Fire in Temperate, Boreal, and Montane Ecosystems. Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL. INTRODUCTION Fire weather, fuels, topography, and ignition patterns play a prominent role in defining the characteristics Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison associated with the fire regime. A comparative study Sanctuary are two ecologically important areas in of the fire history was conducted at these two region- northwestern Canada. As in much of the boreal forest, al locations in order to estimate these characteristics disturbance by fire has historically been a prominent and the influence of fire weather and fuels. process in defining the ecosystems and their structural distribution in both areas. Resource management STUDY AREAS objectives are based on policy and science-related Nahanni National Park guidelines, and a clear understanding of historical fire regimes will contribute to successful management Nahanni National Park Reserve was established in planning in the future. Describing and understanding 1972 to preserve the ecologically significant Nahanni the fire regime of an area requires defining character- River and Flat River watersheds. The 4,766-km2 istics such as the fire cycle, fire interval, fire season, reserve is characterized by mountainous topography, and the number, type, and intensity of fires that char- with elevations ranging from 180 m to 2,640 m above acterize the given areas (Merrill and Alexander 1987). sea level (asl). Two major rivers, the Nahanni River 43 44 BOTHWELL ET AL. Figure 1. Study area locations in Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories. and the Flat River, flow through the valleys of the (Figure 1). The average maximum July temperature at reserve and were used by aboriginal peoples as access Watson Lake is 21.1 °C, while the average minimum to the region for the past 10,000 years. Recent Euro­ January temperature is –30.0 °C. Average annual pre­ pean settlement initiated exploitation of valuable fur cipitation as rainfall is 256.7 mm and as snowfall is resources and promoted further occupation of the 218.9 mm (water equivalent). The region experiences remote area (Parks Canada 2001). an average of 12 thunderstorms annually, primarily Nahanni National Park is located in the southwestern during June and July (Environment Canada 1993). ° ′ corner of the Northwest Territories (62 00 N, Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary 127°30′W to 61°05′N, 123°45′W) (Figure 1) and occu­ pies the Alpine Forest–Tundra forest section of the The Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary was established to Boreal Forest Region (Rowe 1972). This section is meet the objectives of wood bison (Bison bison characterized by low-density stands of coniferous for­ athabascae) management in the Mackenzie Region of est, predominantly black spruce (Picea mariana) and the Northwest Territories. The area used for this study (61°00′N, 114°00′W to 63°00′N, 118°00′W) extends white spruce (Picea glauca), as well as smaller propor­ beyond the defined boundaries of the Mackenzie Bison tions of deciduous forest including aspen (Populus Sanctuary and encompasses about 11,150 km2. Eleva­ tremuloides), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), tion relief in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary is mini­ and birch varieties (Betula spp.). Stands of tamarack mal, ranging from 160 to 260 m asl. (Larix laricina) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) Rowe (1972) classifies this area as part of the North­ are found on the lowlands and higher elevations, western Transition Section of the Boreal Forest Region. respectively. Scotter (1974) reported extensive stands This transition area joins the higher-density coniferous of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) forest in the south to the tundra in the north and is pri­ throughout the southern portion of the park boundary, marily composed of low-density coniferous forest, bog, particularly along the Flat River. The distribution of muskeg, and barren rock. Harsh climatic conditions and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) is limited to the eastern frequent fire events result in limited vegetation success, boundary of the park, with lodgepole–jack pine hybrids distribution, and dwarfed growth patterns. The most common where the species’ distributions overlap. common tree species include black spruce, white The region’s climate can be summarized as cold spruce, paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera), continental, with large fluctuations resulting from the tamarack, jack pine, aspen, and balsam poplar. mountainous terrain. The long-term weather station The climate in this area is strongly influenced by nearest to Nahanni National Park is located about 225 Great Slave Lake and seasonal averages are similar to km southwest at Watson Lake, Yukon (689 m asl) those in Nahanni National Park. The nearest long-term FIRE REGIMES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES 45 Table 1. Relative classes for various Fire Weather Index System codes and indices used in the fire weather analysis for Nahanni National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories. Fire Weather Index System component Class Fine Fuel Moisture Code Buildup Index Initial Spread Index Fire Weather Index Low 0–79 0–24 0–2 0–4 Moderate 80–84 25–40 3–4 5–10 High 85–87 41–60 5–9 11–18 Very High 88–89 61–89 10–16 19–29 Extreme 90–101 90+ 17+ 30+ weather station is located about 50 km south at Hay Data from the Watson Lake and Hay River weather River (164 m asl) (Figure 1) and reports an average stations were also used to document the fire weather maximum July temperature of 20.9 °C and an average events that occurred during the days and years known minimum January temperature of –29.3 °C. Precipita­ to have fire activity from the Large Fire Database tion as rainfall averages 194.2 mm and as snowfall (Stocks et al. 2002). Nahanni National Park and the averages 158.5 mm annually (water equivalent). The Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary were analyzed separately region experiences an average of 8 thunderstorms using a two-sample t-test to determine if years with annually, primarily during June, July, and August fire activity had a higher mean Seasonal Severity Rat­ (Environment Canada 1993). ing (SSR) (Van Wagner 1970) than years without fire activity. METHODS Fuels Fire Weather A vegetation inventory was not readily available to Fire weather parameters were collected from the derive fuel classifications for either area. Instead, fuel nearest representative Atmospheric Environment Ser­ type classifications were derived using data collected vice weather stations (Environment Canada) and used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra­ to derive parameters of the Canadian Fire Weather tion Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer. This Index (FWI) System (Van Wagner 1987). Fire Weath­ satellite collects data at a 1-km resolution. Data were er Index System values for the Fine Fuel Moisture interpreted using the Normalized Difference Vegeta­ Code (FFMC), Initial Spread Index (ISI), Buildup tion Index to derive a land cover classification of Index (BUI), and the Fire Weather Index were catego­ Canada for 1995 (Beaubien et al. 1997). This spatial rized into five relative classes (Table 1) and the rela­ database of land cover was then used to estimate the tive frequency of occurrence was determined. area of various fuel types as described by the Canadi­ The Watson Lake station was used for Nahanni an Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System National Park because of its long-term records (Forestry Canada Fire Danger Group 1992). (1953–1992) and mountainous topography.
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