FIRE AND CLIMATE IN CANADA

FLANNIGAN, M.D. (1), AND LOGAN, K.A.

(1) Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen Street E, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada, P6A 2E5

Fire is the major stand-renewing agent for much of the circumboreal forest, greatly influencing the structure and function of the forest. Currently an average of 8000 fires burn 2.5 million hectares every year in Canada. Fire activity is strongly influenced by four factors – weather/climate, fuels, ignition agents and humans. Of these factors, the climate/weather is the most important. A recent study shows that area burned in Canada is significantly correlated with temperature and fuel moisture. Additionally, the recent trend of increasing area burned observed in Canada is due to human-caused climate change. The results from these studies help us to estimate the future impact of climate change on the fire regime in Canada.