NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region

Tags: physical sciences, environmental impact, climate change, forest fire, wetlands

Objective(s): To compare the fuel characteristics within accessible areas in the Fort Simpson area to collected lidar remote sensing, to develop an ecozone specific fire fuel model; to determine how fire fuels have changed within northern latitudes over time, and compare them to the changes seen in sites located further south (within Alberta); and, to identify fuel "hotspots" and determine if the fuel accumulation following the fire is likely to exceed the amount combusted.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5614. The objectives for this research licence are to compare the fuel characteristics within accessible areas in the Fort Simpson area to collected lidar remote sensing, to develop an ecozone specific fire fuel model; to determine how fire fuels have changed within northern latitudes over time and compare them to the changes seen in sites located further south (within Alberta); and, to identify fuel "hotspots" and determine if the fuel accumulation following the fire is likely to exceed the amount combusted. The research activities will involve ground measurements of vegetation and minimally destructive harvesting of the top 20 cm organic layer in a 10x10cm square per plot. Data collected will follow the current Next-Generation Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (NG-CFFDRS) fuel plot methodology. To do the plot measurements, the research team will locate approximately 6 sites of interest within undisturbed areas, ~100m from highways (and away from publicly owned properties) so that sites are easily accessible. At each site, the research team will install a temporary forest mensuration plot (11.3 m radius). Within each mensuration plot, the team will measure tree and shrub height, stem diameter, species type, fuel condition, shrub and regeneration species, and measure course woody debris. The plot will be located using survey-grade GPS and situated within the lidar data collected at the same time. A 10x10 cm soil sample will be taken at each of the 6 sites. These soil samples will be put into paper bags and brought back to the University of Lethbridge for weighing and drying. Coincident with the field data collection, a drone survey flown by Hopkinson will be performed, as well as airborne lidar. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 2, 2023 to December 31, 2023.