The Influence of Vegetation and Climate on Wildfires in Jasper, Alberta, Over the Last ~3,500 Years

This study employed a multi-proxy approach to gain insights into past fire dynamics within the watershed of Little Trefoil Lake in Jasper, Alberta, Canada. Charcoal analysis and dendrochronology were used to characterize the historical fire regime and place past trends within the context of the present day landscape. A ~3,500-year record of fire events was established by analyzing macroscopic charcoal remains, and pollen analysis was used to determine changes in the dominant vegetation type. Charcoal and pollen analyses indicated that climate has been the strongest control on the fire regime around Little Trefoil Lake over the last ~3,500 years. The contemporary fire record, as reconstructed using tree-ring data, showed that the watershed has experienced a mixed-severity fire regime. Active fire management strategies adapted to this type of fire regime should be pursued to ensure the resilience of forests as we continue forward in a period of rapid climate change.