Wildfire in Kootenay National Park
Photo Courtesy of Parks Canada
Kootenay National Park is one of the best kept secrets in our national park system. From icy mountain rivers to steamy hot springs, you can enjoy it by taking a 60 min drive through the park, or by embarking on a multi-day adventure. Kootenay National Park is a park of contrasts and last year’s wildfire has significantly added to its multi-facetted landscape.
Fire: An important part of Kootenay National Park. For thousands of years, wildfire has been an integral part of Canada’s landscape. In Kootenay National Park, it has played a key role in shaping which species of vegetation and wildlife thrive. In the early years of our national parks system, park managers – and our society – viewed fire as a destructive force and extinguished it. The first national park wardens (called Fire and Game Guardians) were hired in 1909 primarily to extinguish wildfires. More recently, the science of ecology is telling us something completely different; fire is an essential part of nature. Many ecosystems have evolved with fire and depend on it for renewal.
The benefits of fire We now know that over time, fires create a patchwork of burned and unburned vegetation. This diverse mix of habitats is favoured by some wildlife and supports many species. Fire makes nutrients stored in live and dead vegetation available by converting it into mineral-rich ash. After a fire, pine cones pop open from fire’s heat, releasing their seeds. In the spring, new growth will sprout from the roots of burned shrubs. Flowers will bloom and grasses will sprout. Animals will once again forage in the lush new growth.
Restoring the flame While we continue to suppress threatening wildfires, we now also work to reintroduce fire in a controlled manner, whether that’s through monitoring wildfires in remote areas or lighting prescribed fires. Our current fire management program has evolved from decades of experience fighting, lighting and researching the effects of fire on the landscape. Parks Canada is now a leader in fire management.
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