I know it’s hard to believe, but California isn’t the only flammable state. There’s plenty of attention to fires in other places too, Even other countries. Here’s some focused attention on the role beavers can play in fire prevention from Canada of all places.
Beavers may have untapped wildfire fighting skills
The small iconic Canadian mammal known known for chopping down trees may also have a decent set of natural firefighting skills.
By building dams and digging channels, beavers can change small streams into broad wetland areas, keeping plants lush even during a drought, according to a study published by American researchers last year who studied beaver dams and their impacts on wildfires in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming.
Green vegetation near beaver ponds is more difficult to burn than nearby dry vegetation and fire’s will often take the path of least resistance, burning through dry vegetation away from the beaver ponds, according to Emily Fairfax, an environmental professor at California State University Channels and lead author of the study.
Good work Emily! Her dissertation turned America’s head and is now marching into Canada. Will this be what changes the news about beavers? I’m not holding my breath, but I’m a cynical bastard, so let’s just be happy they are talking about it right now I guess,
It’s possible in parts of Canada, and in northeastern areas of B.C., beavers’ impact could have a similar effect in dryland ecosystems with relatively open vegetation cover, said Jean Thie, an Ottawa-based landscape ecologist.
In denser forested areas in B.C. the beavers would have little effect and in locations where they is already lush vegetation.
Hahahaha. The single most predictable thing about research.”That’s a very interesting finding, but it might not apply HERE because our forests are forest-y-er”. Very similar to the research showing that has show for 2 decade that beavers help salmon and the response from PEI and England saying “It probably doesn’t apply to our fish which are salmon-y-er,” “More research needs to be done.”
There’s no evidence to suggest beavers in the Okanagan, or in Canada, have currently implemented any effective fire breaks with their beaver dams, but it could be possible in locations where beavers have built dams on small sloped creeks and created larger wetland zones, he said.
In B.C.’s northeast corner, east of the Rockies, he said there are a large number of dams that appear to have created more green vegetation in the area with a higher water level than normal. It also appears that a fire came short of the vegetation zone but would require more study as the moisture in the area could have played a role, he said.
“This is another beautiful example… These trees have more water because of beaver and wetlands too,” Thie said. “Definitely they would be helping to reduce the spread of fire in this area.”’
Are you following along? Yes it’s true that lush vegetation might catch fire less often. But all of Canada is Lush. I personally am lush. (Close enough). So beavers won’t make a difference here.
The sheer number of dams in an area would have a more beneficial impact in that landscape as well.
Ya think?
It’s nice to know they seriously considering this. We were just give this photo of the Minister of the Environment and hist staff reading through Dr. Fairfax’s research.
