We tend to think of wildfire as resetting the biological clock back to zero; forest types always come back to whatever was there before it burned. However, new evidence reveals that this is not always the case and fire can also cause changes to forest types. For example, very hot fires can kill seeds stored in the soil, while cool fires leave behind a significant amount of stored seed in both underground and in seed cones in surviving tree crowns. Fire can thus also function as a vegetation reset button in response to environmental conditions such as droughts or changes in wildfire frequency.

The long-term effects of climate change and outbreaks of mountain pine beetle (MPB) on forests in western Canada are not well understood. In this project, we will develop quantitative models to assess the impacts of climate change and forest resilience on MPB outbreaks and persistence in forests. These models will be informed by the MPB expertise of the partner organization and, where possible, computer code relating to these models will be made available through collaboration with the partner organization.

Well-known Canadian montane national parks have undergone a length period of fire suppression activities, which
started in the early 20th century. This has resulted in old growth forest stands that are relatively homogeneous in
nature, often containing forests that have the same species, age, and structure. In recent years, mountain pine
beetle outbreaks have occurred, especially in Jasper National Park, resulting in the dramatic transformation of
lodgepole pine forests surrounding the town site.