Wildfire dynamics of mixedwood boreal forests in central Canada

Abstract

Natural disturbances play a key role to forest regeneration, nutrient cycling, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and climate regulation. A synthesis of literature indicated that boreal forest stand structure is largely a construct of the regional fire regime and time since-stand-replacing fire (TSF). Regional differences in fire frequency exist across the boreal forest based primarily on broad-scale climatic patterns, with local-scale variations dependant on vegetation, fuels, and physiographic features. Fire frequency has also been shown to vary according to human activities, although the magnitude and influence (increase or decrease) is non-uniform, creating multiple instances of spatially mixed fire frequencies.