Quantifying spatio-temporal variability of fire fuels in post-mountain pine beetle outbreak in Jasper National Park using terrestrial and airborne laser scanning and RPAS structure from motion

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. The mortality of high proportions of trees attacked by mountain
pine beetle have resulted in a shifting of dead materials as trees eventually break down and fall over, increasing
the risk from wildfire as dry, dead forest fuels accumulate. This study uses novel light detection and ranging
(LiDAR) technologies and remote piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to collect highly detailed, three-dimensional
structural information of dead and dying forest structures to determine how fuels for wildfire vary over space and
through time as forests are attacked, die, and eventually break down.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laura Chasmer;Christopher Hopkinson

Student:

Partner:

fRI Research

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Agriculture; Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Lethbridge

Program: