Igniting restoration

While the thought of uncontrolled fire can be frightening, forest and grassland fires are a type of disturbance to which many natural communities are highly adapted, including those in the mountain parks. Without regular burning, fire-adapted vegetation communities change for the worse; wildlife habitats become less diverse, forests become susceptible to disease, and there’s an increased chance of catastrophic wildfire due to an accumulation of woody fuels. To reverse these negative consequences, Parks Canada uses carefully planned and controlled “prescribed” fires to burn off dense shrubs, open up forest canopies, trigger seed germination and stimulate plant regeneration. Prescribed fire is a technique that’s expertly practiced by Parks Canada to mimic natural processes and restore forest and grassland ecosystems.