Out of control wildfire in Willmore

[bdub]

http://srd.web.alberta.ca/edson-area-update

There is currently a fairly large wildfire burning in the back side of Willmore. They are currently fighting it from the air. Just wondering if anyone on here would know why on earth they are bothering to fight it rather than letting it take its course. I thought wildfires in the park not directly threatening Grande Cache on the west side of the park would be left alone? Do we have to put out every fire in the province? even in the Willmore. Doesn't make the least bit of sense to me but perhaps someone can fill me in on this one.

[AlbertaCutthroat]

It makes absolutely no sense considering its in a wildland park. Hopefully it burns like mad tomorrow as it looks like rain coming later in the week anyways. Great use of that firefighting effort eh....

[Torkdiesel]

Let it burn, it's time there were some good fires out there !!!

Unless one starts on the north end of Wilmore, then it's getting too close to my cabin. I would appreciate if they put that one out lol

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCutthroat

It makes absolutely no sense considering its in a wildland park. Hopefully it burns like mad tomorrow as it looks like rain coming later in the week anyways. Great use of that firefighting effort eh....

Consensus of people I know is that all the meadows are being overgrown with Buckbrush, fire would be a blessing.

Grizz

[woods_walker]

Caribou. Same reason that the same thing will happen in Jasper. They should be letting the natural cycle take place in an area like that.

[fast_pass88]

This is the best news I've heard all day!

[AB2506]

Photos from a hundred years ago of the Porcupine Hills show almost no trees on them. With fire suppression, they are now capped with a crown of coniferous forest. Natural? I think not.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by woods_walker

Caribou. Same reason that the same thing will happen in Jasper. They should be letting the natural cycle take place in an area like that.

so they put the grizzly bears there to protect the caribou from wolves?










FIRE GOOD!

[bdub]

Originally Posted by woods_walker

Caribou. Same reason that the same thing will happen in Jasper. They should be letting the natural cycle take place in an area like that.

Thats exactly what the message was left on my phone said today. Supposed to be a migration route for the caribou between Willmore and JNP. I wonder why the fire would matter for the caribou anyway? Not like they didn't evolve dealing with it before. I'll try and get ahold of her tomorrow again and see what she says.

[Forest Techer]

Originally Posted by bdub

Thats exactly what the message was left on my phone said today. Supposed to be a migration route for the caribou between Willmore and JNP. I wonder why the fire would matter for the caribou anyway? Not like they didn't evolve dealing with it before. I'll try and get ahold of her tomorrow again and see what she says.

"They" count fire as a disturbance. Same as forestry and O&G. Gonna make meeting a recovery plan more difficult. That area just became over 65% disturbed

Let it burn!

Everyone needs to stop thinking of forests as snapshots in time. They are ever changing. By not allowing it to change regenerate cycle you are changing all forests. Banff/jasper is like touring an alien through an old folks home to show them what humanity is like.

We've mucked up the fire regime enough already. Now you get a fire that can be left alone and they go pour cash all over it. Why?

[Roughneck Country]

Originally Posted by woods_walker

Caribou. Same reason that the same thing will happen in Jasper. They should be letting the natural cycle take place in an area like that.

I bet the caribou would end up doing better than they are now if they let t burn.

[arcticcathinda]

Agreed, hard to argue the benefits of wildfire has on the landscape if you have seen the regrowth within the next growing season! As long as everyone is safe, let it run!

[TheIceTitan]

Originally Posted by Roughneck Country

I bet the caribou would end up doing better than they are now if they let t burn.

Tough to say. If caribou need old-growth browse to get through the winter, fire can't be good. If the "predator pit" is created by clear-cut logging and other linear disturbance, fire might mimic the same. While animals can always move and recolonize, if the range of a species is drastically reduced, and that range is on fire, it would seem to be a net negative in the short term.

[Luckwell]

Stand there and watch it burn. Last year last weeks of October there wasn't enough grass to feed the horses. Torch it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[walking buffalo]

It's been almost nine years since this fire.

Can anyone here bring insights to the regeneration?


While there are few still on AO from when this happened,
this thread is a classic example of how this forum in its past glory was able to positively influence wildlife and environmental management in Alberta.

A person probably could not tell from just reading this thread,
but it was here where public exposure and actions by forum members that made the noise,
that led to the discovery of a long forgotten fire management plan (post #65) ,
and voiced concerns to the right ears in government to force competing interests into compliance with the fire plan.

Quite simply, this thread is responsible for the fire not being put out asap and reaching the size that it did.
One of the largest Natural Mountain forest fires in Alberta in decades.

Well Done, AO of Old.