‘The boreal forest is very resilient’: how wildlife is impacted by the fires

It wasn’t just humans that had to escape from the blaze up in Fort McMurray: hundreds of different species of animals live in the area.

While there may be some short term challenges for their habitat, one expert says the blaze may eventually help it flourish.

Dave Kay, Alberta Environment and Parks, says different animals would have had different responses to the burning.

“Larger mammals can escape just by walking or running into non-burned areas. Some of the young animals and animals that aren’t quite as mobile like small rodents and amphibians and stuff. They’ll try to find local refuge around wetlands, that kind of thing,” he explained.

Now that animals are being pushed into other areas, there could be potential for more human interaction.

Kay will be working with local government to make sure garbage and food is properly disposed of to minimize that contact.

As for local ecology, he explains, the boreal forest has evolved with fire and is very resilient.

In the long term, this blaze may actually have some positive effects.

“What it does is it rejuvenates forest stands, increases habitat — just different types of habitats within the forest — and creates the diversity that boreal forest provides to all the different animals,” he said.

However, there is a challenge this time around.

“By all indications this is a fairly hot fire, so it will burn a little deeper. It may take longer for some of the plants to re-establish, because it will burn right down to mineral soil in many areas,” Kay said.

Regional biologists will be interested in looking at data from collared caribou and bison being tracked nearby to see how they reacted to the blaze.