State of the Mountains Report - The Alpine Club of Canada's - Wildfires: Causes, Consequences, and Coexistence - ACC Calgary Section
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The Alpine Club of Canada’s
State of the
Mountains
Report
Volume 2, May 2019
Wildfires:
Causes, Consequences,
and Coexistence
Page 4
Living and
Breathing Change
Page 14
State of the Mountains Report 2019 A
Contents
Foreword
Lael Parrott, Zac Robinson and David Hik ........................................................................................................................ 2
Feature Essays
Wildfires: Causes, Consequences, and Coexistence
Lori Daniels ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Living and Breathing Change: A Southern Tutchone Perspective on Climate and Research
Tosh Southwick and Kate Ballegooyen ...........................................................................................................................14
The Alpine Club Knowledge Highlights
of Canada’s People and Mountains
State of the Parks Canada Visitor Safety Program Focussed on Incident Prevention and Response
Mountains Conrad Janzen ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Report How Can Mountain Tourism Embrace Sustainability?
___________________________ Through Tourist-Operator Collaboration
Volume 2, May 2019 Elizabeth A. Halpenny ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
Foundations, Past and Future: The Alpine Club of Canada’s Hut System
The Alpine Club of Canada James Gudjonson .............................................................................................................................................................. 23
Box 8040, Canmore, AB
Canada T1W 2T8 Rapid Loss of Perennial Alpine Ice Patches, Selwyn and Mackenzie Mountains, NWT
Phone: (403) 678‑3200 Glen MacKay, Leon Andrew, Naomi Smethurst and Thomas D. Andrews ............................................................. 26
Fax: (403) 678‑3224
info@alpineclubofcanada.ca Life in the Mountains
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca
Southern Mountain Woodland Caribou in Jasper National Park
Layla Neufeld ...................................................................................................................................................................... 29
CANADIAN CATALOGUING IN
PUBLICATIONS DATA Mammals of the Mountain Slopes
The Alpine Club of Canada’s Jason T. Fisher and Alina C. Fisher ................................................................................................................................... 32
State of the Mountains Report
Editors: Water Temperatures Matter to Migrating Fraser River Salmon
Lael Parrott Mike Lapointe, David Patterson, Maxine Forrest, Kendra Robinson, and Angus Straight ................................... 34
Zac Robinson
David Hik Mountain Pine Beetles on Rockies Eastern Slope Offer Improved Perspectives
Design: Zac Bolan Felix Sperling ....................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Copy Editor: Lynn Martel
Translator: Jean-Phillippe Gravel Watermelon Snow: A Microscopic Serengeti
ISBN: 978-0-920330-74-6
Casey B. Engstrom and Lynne M. Quarmby ................................................................................................................ 40
© 2019,
The Alpine Club of Canada Physical Mountains
All rights reserved. No portion
of this book may be copied The Birth of a Mountain Range in the Appalachians of Newfoundland
or reproduced without the John W. F. Waldron ............................................................................................................................................................. 42
permission of the author or the
subject.
Cover Photo: Nelson 2017.
Photo: Adrian Wagner Studio
Inside Cover: Evening light on the
waterfall at the Hallam Glacier
GMC. Photo: Mary Sanseverino
B The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 1
respond to changing conditions in Canada’s You can also read about the mountain
mountainous regions. The 2020 State of the building and the birth of the Appalachians
Mountains Report will feature more informa- in Newfoundland and the consequences of
tion about the CMN, but you can visit their the loss of perennial alpine ice patches in the
website for more details (http://canadian- Northwest Territories.
mountainnetwork.ca).
We hope that these summaries, together
This 2019 State of the Mountains Report with the 2018 Report and future annual
begins with a feature essay, by Dr. Lori volumes, will continue to provide a valu-
Daniels, one of Canada’s foremost experts able resource for learning about Canada’s
Several recent global
on wildfire. Over the past two years, mul- mountains. assessments have
tiple large wildfires have burned millions
Lael Parrott, Zac Robinson, and David Hik
of hectares of mountain forests in western
May, 2019
documented the
Canada. The resulting smoke smothered
much of B.C. and Alberta for weeks during Lael Parrott is the ACC Vice-President for Access stressors facing
the summer, and visitors to the Rockies and & Environment, Professor of Sustainability,
Columbias were left to only imagine the
mountains around the
and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity,
peaks surrounding them. The long-term Resilience, and Ecosystem Services at the world.
effect of fire on these mountain ecosystems University of British Columbia, Okanagan.
and mountain communities are profound,
and Dr. Daniels summarizes the factors Zac Robinson is the ACC Vice-President for
that have contributed to these large fires, Mountain Culture, and Associate Professor of
Foreword including the decades long policy of fire history in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and
suppression and climate change. But opti- Recreation at the University of Alberta.
T
The golden glow at home at the he Alpine Club of Canada (ACC), Canada’s national mountaineering organization, mistically, she also provides a road-map David Hik is a Professor in the Department
ACC’s 2018 Hallam Glacier General is committed to providing accessible, current, and accurate information about the for learning to better manage fire, and to of Biological Sciences and Associate Dean
Mountaineering Camp. Left to right: David Hik, Lael Parrott,
forces that affect Canadian mountain places, ecosystems, and communities. This improve forest and community resilience to (Academic) in the Faculty of Science at Simon and Zac Robinson – 2018.
Photo: Mary Sanseverino
annual State of the Mountains Report is produced by the ACC in collaboration with mountain present and future wildfires. Fraser University. Photo: Mary Sanseverino
researchers, community members, and partner organizations. We are grateful to the many We also feature a follow-up contribution to
experts who have generously provided their insights and perspectives this year, and to the last year’s feature essay, which described
Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Canadian Geographic magazine for their con- the dramatic changes that occur when
tinued efforts to help disseminate the report. retreating glaciers abruptly alter the flow of
Canada’s diverse mountains define much May 2019, comprehensively summarized mountain rivers and their watersheds. Tosh
of the country. Mountains provide critical the deteriorating health of the world’s Southwick and Kate Ballegooyen provide a
natural and economic resources like ecosystems. Mountains play a key role in Southern Tutchone perspective on climate
water, biodiversity, forests and recreational sustaining biodiversity and critical ecosystem and research in the southwest Yukon by
opportunities. They’re also home for many services on which people and all other spe- describing how climate change impacts the
Mountains provide critical people living in small and remote commun- cies depend. Organizations like the Mountain day-to-day lives of people living in remote
ities. But both local and global changes Research Initiative (http://www.mountain- Indigenous communities and the relevance
natural and cultural influence these places in ways that are still researchinitiative.org) promote international of Indigenous knowledge to understanding
resources. not well understood. The ACC’s State of global change research in mountain regions, the impacts of these environmental changes.
the Mountains Report is a contribution to by helping to improve global collaboration.
The 2019 State of the Mountains Report con-
compiling and sharing the best available
Mountain research and education in tains ten more Knowledge Highlights. You
knowledge about Canada’s mountains, from
Canada will be receiving new resour- can read about biodiversity, from the very
coast to coast to coast.
ces, too. On 16 April 2019, the federal small (snow algae and pine beetles) to the
Several recent global assessments have Networks of Centres of Excellence program very large (caribou and bears). How people
documented the stressors facing moun- announced that the Canadian Mountain experience Canada’s mountains is the focus
tains around the world. For example, the Network (CMN) will receive $18.3 million in of several other contributions, including
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform funding over five years (2019–2024). With the challenges of sustainable tourism, the
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services this new funding, CMN hopes to develop state of the ACC’s backcountry huts system,
(IPBES) Global Assessment, released in new collaborative programs to identify and and Parks Canada’s visitor safety program.
2 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 3
Wildfires: record-breaking heat waves in spring and
early summer meant fire seasons started
Causes, Consequences, and Coexistence earlier with longer, more pronounced
summer droughts – our new reality given
ongoing climate change and the fundamen-
tal links between heat, drought, and wildfire.
Not every fire season will break records, but
years like 2017 and 2018 will become increas-
ingly common over our lifetimes.
Importantly, we have learned our mountain
forests and the communities within them
are not resilient to wildfire and adaptation is
urgently needed.4
Wildfire:
A Diverse and Complex Force of Nature
Understanding wildfire is a necessary first
step to ensure adaptation is effective.
Wildfire is an essential ecosystem function
and evolutionary force that has shaped the
ecology of many trees, plants and fauna.
The intensity, rate of spread, and behaviour
of individual wildfires are determined by
weather, topography, and characteristics
of the vegetation or fuels that burn. Three
general types of wildfires include ground
Syringa Creek Wildfire, 2018. Lori Daniels fires that burn organics below the soil sur- Figure 1 – Wildfires burned 2.5 million hectares in 2017 (green) and 2018 (orange) from grasslands to
subalpine forests and from boreal forests to coastal temperate rainforests
W
Photo: Ashley Voykin face, surface fires that burn above-ground
ildfire has become a wicked problem – complex, challenging, and full of para- (source: https://emergency-maps.lightship.works/).
decomposing organics and small-stat-
doxes. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, intense, fast-moving and uncontrollable ured plants, and crown fires that spread Figure 2 – Satellite view of the smoke generated by fires in British Columbia on August 17, 2018, causing
wildfires burned through a record-breaking 2.5 million hectares of grasslands and the some of the worst air quality in the world (source: NASA WorldView https://go.nasa.gov/2SbCF2n)
between tree tops. The severity or impact
forests in British Columbia (BC) (Figure 1). The 2017 wildfires burned during fire weather that on vegetation reflects fire type, location,
broke 85 maximum temperature records, forced the evacuation of 65,000 people, and trig- timing, duration, weather conditions, and
gered a 70-day state of emergency.1 Multiple large fires burned in BC’s southern interior, with elements of chance. A fire regime describes
the Plateau Complex setting a new record when nearly 20 fires merged to burn an astounding the spatial and temporal attributes of mul-
545,151 hectares in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. It was shocking that the 2018 wildfires in BC tiple fires in a landscape over time. Wildfires
The extreme wildfire exceeded the area-burned records set in 2017. At the peak of the 2018 wildfire season, 566 fires can interact with other disturbances, like
seasons of 2017–18 in burned simultaneously. Distributed across all six fire centres in BC, 49 fires of note were highly mountain pine beetle, with additive or syn-
visible or posed a potential threat to public safety. Mirroring 2017, more than 20,000 people ergistic effects. The timing and sequence of
mountain forests of the were on evacuation alert for prolonged periods, many had to flee their homes, and, sadly, events, and their interactions with weather
numerous homes could not be saved. Collectively, the large fires in northwestern BC burned and climate can result in novel disturbances
Canadian Cordillera are over 575,000 hectares of sub-boreal forests and generated smoke that made air quality in and ecological surprises.
not isolated events. western Canada the most hazardous in the world for several days during August (Figure 2).
In temperate and boreal latitudes, historical
Relief from many out-of-control fires depended on saturating rains in the fall.
fire regimes varied along environmental
The extreme wildfire seasons of 2017–18 in economic costs – as witnessed in recent gradients that reflect the interactions
mountain forests of the Canadian Cordillera years in from Ontario to British Columbia, between climate and topography, which
are not isolated events. They are part of a throughout the USA, Argentina, Chile, determine vegetation types (Figure 3). Arid
global trend of increasing area burned and New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, India, deserts occupy the driest environments,
extreme fire behaviour resulting in megafires Portugal, Greece, Spain, Italy, France….2,3 often located in continental rainshadows
with tremendous ecological, social, and Over the past 15 years in western Canada, of mountain ranges. Although the hot, dry
4 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 5
climate is conducive to burning, the vegeta- slowly. Vegetation in mature subalpine for-
tion is discontinuous and wildfires are unable ests become susceptible to wildfire during
to spread. Native plants lack adaptations, drought. Persistent blocking high-pressure
so effects are very severe during infrequent systems bring warm, dry weather condu-
fires. At the opposite end of the spectrum, cive to crown fires, especially during windy
coastal temperate rainforests grow in the conditions. Although these fires are severe
wettest environments on the windward side and kill most trees, surviving trees and island
of mountain ranges. These productive for- remnants provide habitat refugia and seed
ests are susceptible to crown fire only during sources for the next generation of forest.
exceptional droughts. As a result, wildfires Natural regeneration forms even-aged for-
are infrequent, with potentially severe effects ests. Over time and space, periodic crown
given the abundance of vegetation that is fires diversify forest composition, structure,
available to burn. and fuels, affecting fire behaviour and
forming natural firebreaks – perpetuating
In the mountains, fire regimes vary along
landscape diversity and variable fire effects.
elevational gradients from warm, dry valley
bottoms to cold, snowy alpine environments. Mid-elevation montane forests are con-
Although wildfires of a range of severities sidered most diverse and complex, reflecting
provides a long-term historical record of fire Figure 3 – Fire scars are evidence of
historically burned at all elevations, fire their mixed-severity fire regimes. Historically, past low-severity surface fires that
occurrence, timing, and frequency (Figure 4).
severity generally increased with elevation. low-to-moderate severity fires burned at damaged but did not kill trees. By
Crossdated tree ages, growth histories, and crossdating, or pattern-matching the
Historically, frequent surface fires maintained intervals averaging 25 to 60 years, reducing
years of death corroborate inferences on rings among trees, we determined
grasslands and open woodlands growing burnable surface fuels and understory
fire timing and severity. Within a fire, thin- this western larch died in 1957, estab-
in valley bottoms, where warm dry summer tree densities, scarring trees, and creating lished in 1682, and survived 6 fires over
barked species, small regenerating trees,
weather is conducive to burning in most small openings for new cohorts of trees to its lifespan. (source: Jamie Myers)
and even some large trees with thick bark
years. During the short interval between sur- establish. Higher-severity fires burned at
face fires, typically less than 25 years (often longer intervals of 60 years to many cen- Figure 4 – Fire history of UBC’s Alex
less than 10 years), fuel accumulation was turies, generating patches of even-aged “Crossdating” is a method that matches Fraser Research Forest near Williams
Lake, BC shows fires burned once
limited so fire severity remained low. Grasses, forests. Within an individual fire and across the ring width patterns among trees every 15 years from 1650 to 1943, with
landscapes, forest patches simultaneously of the same species growing in similar no fires since then. Each horizontal
forbs, shrubs, and some trees are adapted
burned at a range of severities. Variations environments to ensure an exact calendar line represents one of 26 sites. The
to surface fire by storing biomass and length of the line depicts the lifespan
in fire severity over time added to montane year is assigned to each tree ring.
regenerative tissues below ground. Thick, of the oldest tree sampled at the
forest complexity. Crossdating increases accuracy of age site. Black triangles are years when
insulating bark protects growing tissues.
estimates, pinpoints the timing of growth surface fire scarred trees; grey and
Some trees may be damaged but survive, Tree-Ring Science and white triangles are years when groups
anomalies like fire scars, and ascertains
forming persistent fire scars in their tree rings, Fire History Reconstructions of trees established. After the most
the year of tree deaths from the outer ring widespread fire in 1863, 76% of trees
thus providing physical evidence of past
Surface and crown fires impact forests of a snag, log or stump. established (source: Wesley Brookes,
surface fires. Repeated high-frequency and MSc thesis, UBC-Vancouver).
low-severity fires maintained forest structures differently, so multiple lines of evidence
are combined to reconstruct fire histories.
and fuel loads – a feedback that perpetu-
Tree-ring analyses have been particularly
ated the surface fire regime.
powerful for understanding historically
Intense crown fires burn at long intervals low- and mixed-severity fire regimes that
of one hundred to hundreds of years in commonly included surface fires.5,6 Fire scars
high-elevation subalpine forests, similar to on individual trees, snags, logs or stumps
many sub-boreal and boreal forests across provide direct evidence of low-severity sur-
Canada. In these forests, regional climate face fires that damaged, but did not kill the
strongly influences wildfire frequency and tree (Figure 3). Old “veteran trees,” those that
severity through patterns of seasonality, tem- survive at least one fire over their lifespan,
perature, and precipitation. Given the short can include multiple fire scars over several
summers and cool, mesic climate at high centuries. Using a method called “crossdat-
elevations, trees grow and fuels accumulate ing” (see inset box), the exact year of fires
Syringa Creek wildfire, 2018. can be determined from scars. Compiling
Photo: Ashley Voykin fire-scar dates from multiple trees in a forest
6 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 7
crown fires, independent evidence is sought several decades, success yielded unforeseen
such as oral histories, documentary records, consequences. As easy-to-control surface
historical photographs, soil chemistry, and fires were extinguished, trees encroached
charcoal and pollen in lake sediments. into grasslands and forests grew denser. In
absence of periodic surface fires, abundant
Disrupted Fire Regimes
shade-tolerant but fire-intolerant under-
and Unintended Consequences:
story trees form “ladder fuels” that conduct
The Fire Suppression Paradox
surface fire to tree crowns. These changes
There is strong evidence that fire regimes in forest composition and structure, plus
were disrupted during the 20th century accumulated surface fuel hazards, have
(Figure 4). The degree of disruption varies increased the chance of severe crown fires
depending on the historical fire regime. in many forests, raising concerns about their
Surface fires in Canada’s valley-bottom resilience after contemporary wildfires.6-10, 15
and montane forests have been virtually
Human impacts on high-severity fire regimes
eliminated, consistent with other forests in
in subalpine and boreal forests are more
western North America.5 Our fire-scar records
subtle. Some scientists considered human
consistently show that frequent surface
impacts minor because the period of sup- (Figure 5). In BC, during the summer of 2017, Peachland wildfire, 2018.
fires ceased between the late 1800s to mid- Photo: Jason Lehoux Photography
pression is shorter than the average interval 85 maximum temperature records were set,
1900s.6-10 This disruption resulted from the
between crown fires.16 As well, crown fires and fire-weather drought codes reached
cumulative effects of European settlement,
continue to burn in many parts of Canada, new highs. Recent cutting-edge research by
combined with climatic variation and con-
especially during hot, dry, windy weather climate experts on BC’s 2017 wildfires shows
temporary wildfire management. Allocation
and in remote locations north of the zone a >95% probability that this record heat was
of land to settlers displaced Indigenous
of managed forests.17 In BC, where attempts due to human factors.23 Fire weather was
people from their traditional territories and
were made to suppress all fires for several elevated 3-fold and area burned 9-fold.
laws banning human-set fires decreased
decades, forests simultaneously matured Indirectly, climate change affects lightning
cultural fire practices.11 Changes in land use
forming uniform fuels across landscapes. ignitions and length of fire seasons. Many of
to agriculture and livestock grazing changed
High-grade logging of large trees in the the 2017–18 wildfires started when thousands
the distribution and continuity of fuels,
early 1900s followed by industrial forestry of dry lightning strikes ignited 100 to 180 new
reducing fire spread. Regionally, the 1940s
and regeneration of conifer forests have fires over 1- to 3-day periods. These patterns
through 1970s were relatively cool and wet,
also simplified and homogenized forests.
Warm winter
which is not conducive to wildfire.12-13 Perhaps are foreboding as lightning is projected to
By the 2000s, the expansive mature forests increase by 12% for each degree Celcius of temperatures lead to
the greatest single factor is the systematic
were prime habitat for mountain pine global warming,24 although the percent
detection and active suppression of wildfires,
which has continually improved with techno-
beetle, which impacted 18.1 million hectares change will vary among locations.25 Winter low snowpack,
in BC and expanded its range east of the weather also indirectly influences wildfires.
logical advances.
Rocky Mountains into Alberta.18 The beetles Warm winter temperatures lead to low
early snowmelt and
The “fire suppression paradox” reflects the increased the ratio of dead-to-live trees and
unintended negative consequences of fire
snowpack, early snowmelt and start of the start of the fire season,
salvage logging added abundant surface fire season, and more pronounced summer
Figure 5 – In historical fire regimes are killed, creating openings where pulses of
(top), wildfire frequency and severity
trees colonize the resulting forest openings.
suppression on forest diversity, health, and fuels. Widespread hazardous fuels contrib- drought.26 These lagged winter effects con- and more pronounced
were inversely related and varied hazardous fuels (Figure 5). Modern societal uted to the extreme wildfires of 2017–18 in tribute to increased regional wildfire activity
along environmental gradients that Ultimately, successive surface fires generate perception of wildfire as a destructive force BC. Abundant, uniform fuels combined with following warm El Niño winters, increased
summer drought.
influence the combustibility (red) and complex forests that include trees of a wide has justified a command-and-control hot, dry, windy weather drove fast-moving
availability (blue) of burnable vegeta- range of sizes and ages and heterogeneous area burned in the western United States
tion in an ecosystem. Human impacts
wildfire management approach. Prior to wildfires with volatile behaviour and severe
forests across landscapes. In contrast, follow- associated with early springs since the 1980s,26
and climate change have altered 2010, the mandate of the BC Forest Service impacts that proved difficult to contain and
ing high-severity crown fires, regenerating and projections of more extreme fire danger,
fire regimes (bottom). Fuel hazards Protection Program was to “provide wildfire suppress (Figure 3).
accumulate due to fire suppression trees are similar in age and size, with few vet- longer fire seasons and more frequent and
management and emergency response
and tree deaths due to drought- Climate Change and Wildfires severe fires in western Canada.19-22
stress and mountain pine beetle. Fire
erans or fire-scarred trees. Across landscapes support to protect life and assets, particu-
risk is enhanced as vegetation dries with high-severity fire regimes, crown fires larly forest and grasslands (p.7).”14 Achieving Climate change exacerbates wildfires in num- Wildfires are both driven by and contribute
and becomes more susceptible to create a patchwork of forests with distinct their mandate, the BC Protection Program erous ways.19-22 Most obvious are the direct to climate change. The 2017–18 wildfires emit-
burning during prolonged or acute
boundaries, each initiated by different fires successfully detected and suppressed 92% effects of record-breaking maximum temper- ted about 120 and 175 Megatonnes of carbon
summer droughts.
through time. Lastly, to corroborate tree-ring of wildfires within 24 hours of ignition and atures, prolonged droughts, and extreme fire dioxide27 — two and three times normal
reconstructions of historical surface and before they exceeded 4 hectares in size. Over danger driving intense, fast-moving wildfires annual emissions for the entire province of
8 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 9
firebreaks, and lower risk of subsequent
uncontrollable wildfires.
Proactive vegetation management is a
surrogate for wildfire closer to communities
where we continue to suppress wildfires.
In fact, vegetation management is one of
the seven pillars of FireSmart – a program
designed for all Canadians who live in fire-
prone environments (see text box). In the
wildland-urban interface, the chance of
successfully stopping wildfire increases when
hazardous surface and ladder fuels are
reduced and the canopy opened by thinning
and pruning trees. The resulting forest struc-
ture is less likely to conduct crown fire and
creates a defensible space to aid firefighters
in the case of a wildfire. Therefore, all com-
munities surrounded by forests would benefit
from proactive management to mitigate
fuels, regardless of forest type and degree of
disruption to historical fire regimes.
Under the right conditions, fire can do more
good than harm — prescribed burning
is the ultimate example of “fighting fire
with fire.”31 Carefully planned and detailed
Figure 6 – Transforming from an era BC.28 Given projections of more frequent and Transformative Change:
of megafires (left) to coexisting with prescriptions are put into operation only
severe fires, the short intervals between fires Learning To Coexist With Fire
fire (right). Transformative changes during suitable weather conditions to
to wildfire and forest management
will result in younger forests, on average, and
Transformative changes to wildfire and achieve targeted fire behaviour and effects
(top) and increased participation decrease in the carbon storage. Moreover,
forest management are essential to achieve and to ensure smoke rises and disperses.
in Fire Smart by homeowners and summer droughts are reducing survival of
citizens (bottom) are essential for forest and community resilience to con- Broadcast burning is applied across an
regenerating trees and growth of mature
our society to adapt to wildfires and temporary and future wildfires (Figure 6).4 area, while pile burning reduces fuel in
climate change (artwork: trees, and driving tree mortality due drought
In 2012, BC’s mandate for wildfire manage- discrete locations but constrains fire spread.
Jen Burgess / @isolinestudios; stress and climate-mediated disturbances
source: Bowman et. al 2018, Fire, 1, 27). ment expanded to encourage sustainable, Prescribed broadcast burning, combined
like insect outbreaks. In fact, recent reports
indicate the combined effects of wildfires, healthy and resilient ecosystems as well as with forest thinning, is very effective for
mitigating surface fuels and reducing the hazardous fuels near towns, historical sites Morning sun through smoky skies at
mountain pine beetle, and harvesting make protecting lives and values at risk.30 Although the ACC’s 2017 Albert Icefield General
potential for crown fire. Broadcast burning and critical infrastructure.
the forests of BC a net source of atmospheric it may seem counter intuitive, long-term Mountaineering Camp.
carbon, rather than a sink.28, 29 More green- solutions must include fire on the landscape. has proven effective to restore fire-prone Balancing the costs and benefits of pre- Photo: Mary Sanseverino
house gasses drive more warming, elevating Managed wildfire is one strategy that lets ecosystems. For example, proactive fire scribed burning has been a societal concern.
wildfire risk and fuel hazards. This feedback wildfires burn if they not pose risk to life and management in many of Canada’s national The negative smoke effects on air quality,
underscores the need to meet (preferably property. These wildfires are key to restoring parks includes prescribed burning to visibility, human health, and greenhouse
exceed) international carbon emission tar- ecosystem function in naturally flammable restore ecological integrity and improve gas emissions are a tradeoff for the multiple
gets in the long term and mitigate emissions landscapes. They are an effective way to landscape resilience.32 Since the 1980s, fire benefits from prescribed burns.33 However,
by uncontrollable wildfires in the short term. reduce and diversify fuels, create natural and vegetation management specialists smoke emissions from prescribed fire are
have successfully used managed wildfire short-term and lower than smoked from
and prescribed fire to restore wildlife habi- uncontrollable wildfires and citizens can be
FireSmart guides Canadians on how to prepare for and live with wildfire. Being prepared is
tat in grasslands and forests, reduce risk advised in advance of prescribed burning to
a responsibility shared by homeowners, forest users, and all levels of government. The seven
of catastrophic wildfire forests affected by reduce negative health impacts. Given the size
FireSmart disciplines are education, vegetation management, legislation and planning,
development considerations, interagency cooperation, emergency planning, and cross mountain pine beetle, create fuelbreaks to and intensity of wildfires and the distressing
training. For more information visit firesmartcanada.ca reduce the chance of wildfires spreading amounts of smoke generated in summers
into nearby communities, and mitigate 2017–18, the value of prescribed broadcast
10 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 11
their foundation. Innovative plans include References
managed wildfires, thinning, and prescribed
1 Statistics reported by Environment Canada and the BC Wildfire 17 Natural Resources Canada. Canadian National Fire Database
burning to create firebreaks at strategic Service were compiled by Lori Daniels throughout the 2017 and 1980-2017. Government of Canada, Ottawa. http://cwfis.cfs.
locations, with the goal of altering wildfire 2018 wildfire seasons. nrcan.gc.ca/ha/nfdb (Accessed February 15, 2019)
behaviour, especially near communities. 2 Jolly, W.M., Cochrane, M.A., Freeborn, P.H., Holden, Z.A., 18 Cooke, B.J. & Carroll, A.L. Predicting the risk of mountain pine
Diversifying forest management beyond Brown, T.J., Williamson G.J. & Bowman, D.M.J.S. Climate-induce beetle spread to eastern pine forests: Considering uncertainty
variations in global wildfire danger from 1979 to 2013. Nature in uncertain times. Forest Ecology and Management, 396, 11-25
conventional timber products will mean less Communications, 6, 7537 (2015). (2017).
harvesting in some areas and more variable 3 Bowman, D.M.J.S., Williamson, G.J., Abatzoglou, J.T., Kolden, 19 Wotton, B.M., Nock, C.A. & Flannigan, M.D. Forest fire occur-
silviculture to manage forests with complex C.A., Cochrane, M.A. & Smith, A.M.S. Human exposure and rence and climate change in Canada. International Journal of
species mixes and structures. Incentives for sensitive to globally extreme wildfire events. Nature Evolution Wildland Fire, 19,253-271 (2010).
and Ecology, 1, 58. (2017). 20 Wang, X., Parisien, M-A., Taylor, S.W. Perakis, D.D., Little, J.M. &
green-energy and greater biomass utiliz-
4 Daniels, L.D., Gray, R.W. & Burton, P.J. 2017 Megafires in BC - Flannigan, M.D. Future burn probability in south-central British
ation are needed to reduce the amount Urgent Need to Adapt and Improve Resilience to Wildfire. Open Columbia. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 200-212 (2016).
of medium and large waste wood that is letter to BC Premier Horgan and Minister Donaldson http:// 21 Wang, X., Parisien, M-A, Taylor, S., Candau, J-N., Stralberg,
currently mitigated by pile burning. With treering.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2013/02/2017-Wildfires-and-Resili- D., Marshall, G., Little, J. & Flannigan, M.D. Projected changes
reduced fuel loads, prescribed broadcast ence.pdf (2017). in daily fire spread across Canada over the next century.
5 Daniels. L.D., Sherriff, R.L., Yocom-Kent, L. & Heyerdahl, E.H. Environmental Research Letters, 12 025005 (2017).
burns would mitigate small-sized surface
Deciphering the complexity of fire regimes through dendro- 22 Wotton, B.M., Flannigan, M.D. & Marshall, G. Potential climate
fuels, create firebreaks, and protect regener- ecological analyses. Eds.: M.M. Amoroso, L.D. Daniels, P. Baker, change impacts on fire intensity and key wildfire suppression
ating forests, with low smoke emissions. J.J. Camerero. Dendroecology: Tree-ring Analyses Applied to thresholds in Canada. Environmental Research Letters,
A long-term perspective is needed when Ecological Studies, Springer Life Sciences (2017).
12:095003 (2017).
regenerating forests after wildfire or har- 6 Marcoux, H,M. , Daniels, L.D., Gergel, S.E., Da Silva, E., Gedalof,
23 Kirchmeier-Young, M.C., Gillett, N.P., Zwiers, F.W., Cannon, A.J. &
Z. & Hessburg, P.F. Differentiating mixed- and high-severity fire
vesting. For example, it is tempting to plant Anslow, F.S. Attribution of the influence of human-induced climate
Peachland wildfire, 2018. burning is at the forefront of discussions on regimes in mixed-conifer forests of the Canadian Cordillera.
change on an extreme fire season. Earth’s Future, 7, 2-10 (2019).
Photo: Jason Lehoux Photography fast-growing trees at high density to seques- Forest Ecology and Management, 341, 45–58 (2015).
future wildfire and forest management. 24 Romps, D.M., Seeley, J.T., Vollaro, D. & Molinari, J. Projected
ter and store carbon as quickly as possible. 7 Chavardès, R.D. & Daniels, L.D. Altered mixed-severity fire
increase in lightning strikes in the United States due to global
The substantive socio-economic impacts However, dense forests contributed to the regime has homogenized montane forests of Jasper National
warming. Science, 346, 851-854 (2014).
of the 2017–18 wildfires have catalyzed dis- Park. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 433-444 (2016)
severity of recent wildfires. In many forests, 25 Finney, D.L., Doherty, R.M., Wild, O., Stevenson, D.S., MacKenzie,
8 Greene, G.A. & Daniels, L.D. Spatial interpolation and mean fire
cussions to transform forest management planting fewer trees of mixed species will I.A. & Blyth, A.M. A projected decrease in lightning under
interval analyses quantify metrics of historical mixed-severity fire
in BC. Of BC’s 57 million hectares of forests, reduce competition, drought-induced stress, climate change. Nature Climate Change, 8, 210-213 (2018).
regimes. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 26, 138-147 (2017).
22 million hectares comprise the “timber and future accumulation of hazardous fuels 26 Westerling, A.L.R. Increasing western US forest wildfire activity:
9 Harvey, J.E., Smith, D.J. & Veblen, T.T. Mixed-severity fire history at
sensitivity to changes in the timing of spring. Philosophical
harvesting landbase.”34 Management for as the forest matures. In this case, less is the forest-grassland ecotone in west central British Columbia,
Transactions of the Royal Society B, 371, 20150178 (2016).
a single value — timber — was intended to Canada. Ecological Applications, 27, 1746-1760 (2017).
more to increase tree survival and the resili- 27 Personal Communication, Dr. Mark Parrington, Copernicus
develop a strong resource-based economy 10 Rogeau, M-P., Flannigan, M.D., Hawkes, B.C. & Arthur, R.J. Fire
ence of our forests in a warming world. Atmosphere Monitoring Service, Earth Observation
regime departure in southern Alberta, Canada: implications
and support rural communities following the for forest and wildfire management. International Journal of
Programme, European Union.
Take-home Message
Second World War. Seventy years later, there Wildland Fire, 25, 1117-1130 (2016). 28 Wieting, J. Hidden, ignored and growing: BC’s forest carbon
are several indicators that this approach Learning to coexist with wildfire is critical as emissions. Sierra Club of British Columbia, Victoria, BC (2019).
11 Pogue, A. Humans, Climate and an Ignitions-Limited Fire
Learning to coexist has elevated forest vulnerability to climate our society adapts to climate change.4,33 Regime at Vaseux Lake. MSc Thesis, Department of Forest and 29 Fletcher, R. Canada’s forest actually emit more carbon than
Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British they absorb. CBC News February 12, 2019, https://www.cbc.
change and climate-mediated disturbances. For some, accepting managed wildfire and
with wildfire is critical By focusing on the state of individual forest prescribed burning as strategic solutions
Columbia, Vancouver (2017). ca/news/canada/calgary/canada-forests-carbon-sink-or-
12 Daniels, L.D., Maertens, T.B., Stan, A.B., McCloskey, S.P.J., source-1.5011490 (accessed February 15, 2019)
as our society adapts patches for economic gain, forests have may seem counter-intuitive. For others, Cochrane, J.D. & Gray, R.W. Direct and indirect impacts of climate 30 Government of British Columbia. Wildfire Management Branch
been simplified and homogenized, vital the economic costs of changing forest change on forests: three case studies from British Columbia. Strategic Plan 2012-2017. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural
to climate change. ecosystem functions have been altered, and management may seem prohibitive. Yet, Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 33, 108-116 (2011). Resource Operations, Victoria, BC (2012).
13 Chavardes, R.D., Daniels, L.D., Gedalof, Z. & Andison, 31 Weber, M.G. & Taylor, S.W. The use of prescribed fire in the
recognition of cumulative human impacts deep understanding of the vital role of management of Canada’s forested lands. The Forestry
D.W. Human influences superseded climate to disrupt the
has been slow. wildfire on ecosystem function has revealed 20th century fire regime in Jasper National Park, Canada. Chronicle, 68, 324-334 (1992).
the short-comings of past fire suppression Dendrochronologia, 48, 10-19 (2018). 32 Fire Management, Science and Conservation, Parks Canada.
A holistic, landscape view and trans-
and timber production and the tremendous 14 Government of British Columbia. British Columbia Forest Service (2018) https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/nature/science/conservation/
formative changes to wildfire and forest Protection Program Strategy. Wildfire Management, Forest feu-fire (Accessed February 15, 2019)
vulnerability of our forests and communities.
management are required to achieve forest Service of British Columbia, Victoria BC (2006). 33 Bowman, D.M.J.S., Daniels, L.D., Johnston, F.H., Williamson,
Tinkering will not be sufficient – now is the
and community resilience to contemporary 15 Stockdale, C., McLoughlin, N., Flannigan, M. & Macdonald, S.E. G.J., Jolly, W.M., Magzamen, S., Rappold, A.G., Brauer, M. & S.B.
time for transformative change, so that our Henderson. Can air quality management drive sustainable fuels
and future wildfires.28, 29, 33 In BC, two pilot Could restoration of a landscape to a pre-European historical
society can safely coexist with wildfire. vegetation condition reduce burn probability? Ecosphere, 10, management at the wildland-urban interface? Fire, 1, 27 (2018).
studies are underway on million-hectare
10.1002/ecs2.2584 (2019). 34 Forest governance in the province of British Columbia,
landscapes. Historical fire regime attrib- Lori Daniels is a professor in the Department
16 Johnson, E.A., Miyanishi, K. & Bridge, S.R.J. Wildfire regime in Sustainable Forest Management Canada https://www.
utes derived from western science and of Forest and Conservation Sciences at The the boreal forest and the idea of suppression and fuel buildup. sfmcanada.org/images/Publications/EN/BC_info_Province_
indigenous ecological knowledge provide University of British Columbia. Conservation Biology, 15, 1554-1557 (2001). and_territories_EN.pdf (Accessed February 15, 2019)
12 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 13
agreements were the first of their kind in adapted. We have entered a space where
Canada and recognize extensive prov- our Traditional Knowledge, which we have
ince-like powers for First Nation governments. relied upon for generations, needs to be
Kluane First Nation is based in the commun- updated to reflect the new learnings, obser-
ity of Burwash Landing on the shores of Łù’àn vations and realities. We cannot reliably set
Män, the territory’s largest lake. The people nets where our great-grandmothers did with
of KFN are of Southern Tutchone ancestry. confidence that we will have a successful
Kluane First Nation has approximately 250 outcome because the lake is dropping, and
citizens with approximately 120 people living it is warming up. The fish are adapting to the
in the Traditional Territory. changes, and we will have to as well.
How environment shapes We cannot rely on the timing or the thickness
First Nation cultural identity of the ice in certain spots anymore, meaning
As KFN citizens, we inhabit an area that our we cannot get to our winter fishing and
ancestors called home, and like our ances- trapping areas in the same ways we did just
tors, we are innately connected to this land. a few years ago. Kluane First Nation citizens
This land is part of us, and we are part of it. have to find new ways of navigating what
When the land changes, it changes us. Our are now largely unknown realties on the
traditions, our values, and our world views frozen lake.
are all shaped by the land and our connec- What we can rely on is our long and
tion to it. definitive history of resilience and adapta-
We have to relearn the lake and our tion. Just as our Elders were forced to adapt Grace Southwick, KFN Citizen
Living and Breathing Change: Traditional Territory for it is irrevocably to the many changes in their lifetimes, our
current generations will need to adjust our
and Executive Director and KFN
Elder Dennis Dickson overlook the
changed, and that means the way we inter-
A Southern Tutchone Perspective on Climate and Research act with our Traditional Territory must be traditional practices to the changes brought
Kaskawulsh Glacier in 2018.
Photo: Erika MacPherson
The dry and dusty Ä’äy Chù Co-written by Tosh Southwick (KFN citizen) and Kate Ballegooyen (KFN staff member)
L
(Slims River) basin in May 2018.
Photo: Zac Robinson ooking out at Łù’àn Män (Kluane Lake), it is hard to ignore the impact climate change is
having on Kluane First Nation (KFN) Traditional Territory. As we write this, we are nearing
the end of November, the temperature is above zero, and the lake, the largest and deep-
est in the Yukon, is only partially covered with ice. In the not-so-distant past, KFN Elders set nets
across the lake, traveling over ice in October to catch whitefish. But this is not the only instance
Without the close and of climate change within the Traditional Territory.
deep involvement and In May 2016, the Kaskawulsh Glacier in the community and people who are intricately
Yukon Territory retreated to the extent that it connected to this place. Without the close
direction of Kluane First diverted the headwaters of Ä’äy Chù (Slims and deep involvement and direction of
Nation, there can be no River), which previously flowed into Łù’àn Kluane First Nation, there can be no real miti-
Män, into an entirely different watershed, gation of the risks, answers to the questions,
real mitigation of the the Alsek River drainage. Water levels have or solutions to the new challenges posed
since declined in Łù’àn Män by three metres by climate change. Armed with Traditional
risks, answers to the on average. This instance of “river piracy” Knowledge, and generations of traditional
questions, or solutions to garnered international attention from practices, it is our citizens and Elders who live
researchers, media and government, but and breathe these changes.
the new challenges posed largely ignored the impacts to those most Kluane First Nation is one of 11 self-gov-
by climate change. affected by climate change – northern erning First Nations in the Yukon, recently
and remote Indigenous communities. The celebrating 15 years of self-governance.
community story was lost in the barrage This agreement includes a land quantum
of media coverage and by many research- of approximately 906 square kilometres
ers. There cannot be an absence of the with surface and subsurface rights. These
14 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 15
thickness throughout the lake to ensure safe
travel throughout the winter.
Last year KFN and the Dan Keyi Renewable
Resource Council jointly hosted the Kluane
Lake Research Summit to review current and
past lake research. The Summit encouraged
two-way learning opportunities among dele-
gates through presentations, dialogue and
activities. The main recommendations from
the Summit included engaging in cross-cul-
tural learning, developing KFN research
protocols and priorities, and the push to
further include Traditional Knowledge
in research. Another research summit is
planned for spring 2019.
It is a surreal experience when you hear or
read others talking about the place that you
are part of without so much as a mention of
any trace of your community, your people,
Students from Kluane Lake School about by rapid climate change. We will need or your history. It is not a new experience
point to Łù’àn Män, their home
to focus on the changes and learn new ways for Kluane First Nation citizens; in fact, it
nestled within the headwaters of the
Yukon River salmon habitat, 2017. so we can pass the knowledge on to future is the norm. As a KFN members, when we
Photo: David Hik generations. are presented with research that has been
done in Kluane First Nation Traditional
In many ways, KFN is ahead of the curve
Territory without any partnership of KFN, it
when it comes to adapting to climate
is immediately apparent. The research is
change. We’ve conducted hazard assess- Prairie Climate Centre out of the University partnership and community questions and Looking up the valley of the
almost always an incomplete picture of the Ä’äy Chù (Slims River) from
ments throughout the Traditional Territory, of Winnipeg approached KFN to see if we solutions. In the North, indigenous commun-
true narrative. It appears as a disconnected Łù’àn Män (Kluane Lake), 2018.
we’ve installed solar panels, a biomass dis- wanted to tell a story about climate change ities are on the front lines of climate change.
vein of some truth rather than a holistic and Photo: Zac Robinson
trict heating system, and soon wind turbines from the First Nation and community per- Solutions should come from community
comprehensive project based in authentic
will be constructed to lessen our reliance spective. We partnered to tell the story of members as they know which are best for
It is a surreal experience on diesel. Kluane First Nation has also
partnerships. Of course, much of this stems
their communities. It is our hope that, in the
from the fact that KFN, like many indigenous the Ä’äy Chù and dropping lake levels, which
when you hear or read developed a food security strategy to deal communities, inherits research rather than they were unaware of. Citizens traveled to future, research is done with Kluane First
with changes to subsistence harvest levels. drives it. There needs to be a fundamental the toe of the Kaskawulsh Glacier to witness Nation, that it is guided by our values, goals,
others talking about the Kluane First Nation’s leadership has always shift in the way we conduct research in the the change first-hand, which was not an and research questions, that our Traditional
easy feat (image 1). This also involved build- Knowledge is at the forefront of those studies
place that you are part worked towards self-reliance and build- traditional territories of indigenous peoples.
ing capacity amongst KFN youth, who were conducted in the Traditional Territory, and
ing a resilient community. This vision has For example, it can shift to a process that
of without so much as a is grounded in partnership and even one involved intimately with the filming, inter- that it is conducted for and by KFN citizens.
allowed KFN to actively respond to climate
change and changes to the Ä’äy Chù that is directed by the local First Nation. In viewing and editing of the film. Elders and Tosh Southwick belongs to the wolf clan
mention of any trace of (Slims River) by partnering with research- our experience, communities that drive the community members participated through and is a citizen of Kluane First Nation. She
research questions being explored are vastly interviews, speaking not only to recent chan- is currently the Associate Vice President of
your community, your ers from the Department of Fisheries and
ges, but also to long- term observations and
Oceans, Environment and Climate Change more involved and the research is richer for it. Indigenous engagement and reconciliation
people, or your history. Canada, and the Yukon Government Water We are starting to see glimmers of hope that Traditional Knowledge. We hope to present at Yukon College.
Resources Branch to assess effects of cli- this shift is coming. These include the invite this film at the next research summit to dem-
Kate Ballegooyen is the Natural Resources
mate change on salmon spawning habitat to contribute to this very publication, and the onstrate how climate change impacts affect
Manager, Kluane First Nations (KFN). While her
genuine attempts by scientists to reach out the day-to-day lives of those living in north-
and water quality, and to understand how focus is conducting development assessments
and start a new way of conducting research. ern remote indigenous communities.
the lake is responding to climate change. for KFN, Kate also works to facilitate research
Furthermore, KFN has partnered with It quickly became apparent that KFN needs Research in traditional territories needs to be projects throughout the Traditional Territory.
researchers from University of Waterloo to tell its own story, separate from research- driven in some large part by the people who Kate has been living in Burwash for the past
to put forward a proposal to measure ice ers, media or government. Last fall, the live there. The agenda needs to shift towards five years.
16 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 17Parks Canada Visitor Safety daily public avalanche bulletins to help visitors
manage backcountry avalanche hazard
Program Focussed on Incident and conducting avalanche control on slopes
above the highways to protect motorists
Prevention and Response travelling in and through the mountain parks.
Avalanche control is carried out using fixed
Conrad Janzen remote avalanche control systems, explo-
T
sives deployed by helicopter, and, in Glacier
he mandate of Parks Canada includes encouraging National Park, military artillery control work.
visitors to experience and enjoy the national parks.
Response to incidents involves determining
Experiencing a mountain park, however, is not without risk.
the location and performing the rescue.
In the 1950s, two serious accidents on Mount Victoria and Increases in cell phone coverage, new sat-
Mount Temple in Banff National Park resulted in 11 deaths, and ellite locator devices and satellite phones
spurred Parks Canada to increase its mountain rescue capabil- have made it simpler to call for a rescue and
ities.1 Today, full-time Visitor Safety teams work in the mountain transmit precise coordinates to the rescue
parks of Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper, Mount Revelstoke, team. In many cases, two-way conversations
Glacier and Waterton Lakes with the goal of reducing the can now be held during incidents. Clear exchange of knowledge and helps increase Above: Banff National Park’s Visitor
response capacity. Visitor Safety teams regu- Safety team. Back row (L-R): John-Paul
likelihood and severity of incidents in the national parks.2 communication helps determine urgency, Kors, Brian Webster, Lisa Paulson,
fine-tune location information and tailor larly train with provincial SAR teams, assist
Mountain park Visitor Safety teams consist of members of Tim Haggarty, Ian Jackson, and Steve
the response to the incident. As a result, with incidents adjacent to the mountain parks, Holeczi. Front row (L-R): Conrad
the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) and
response times are shortened, patient and bring in external SAR groups when more Janzen and Aaron Beardmore.
the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) who are trained Missing: Alex Lawson, Grant Statham,
outcomes are improved, and resources are resources are required. In addition, mountain
in Search and Rescue (SAR). They also rely on highly-trained Mike Henderson (and Cazz the dog).
minimized. All visitors are strongly encour- park Visitor Safety teams train with other Parks Photo: Banff Visitor Safety
avalanche search dogs and handlers, Parks Canada dis-
aged to carry appropriate communication Canada staff and assist with technical, remote
patch personnel, helicopter rescue pilots, medical staff and Opposite: Visitor Safety use a helicop-
devices for the region they are travelling in. or high-altitude incidents in mountainous ter to sling up to a mountain rescue.
other Parks Canada staff to assist with incident responses.
areas such as Kluane (Yukon) or Auyuittuq Photo: Ian Jackson
Teams are prepared to respond 24/7 by land, water or air to a Performing the rescue involves a variety of
(Baffin Island) national parks.
variety of incident types in terrain ranging from prairie grass- tools for access and transport by ground,
lands to heavily glaciated peaks. water or air. Ground travel includes off-high- Reducing the likelihood and severity of inci-
way vehicles such as e-bikes, snow machines dents remains the primary goal of the Visitor
Central to the Visitor Safety program is the concept of shared
and wheeled stretchers, and high-angle rope Safety program. Good communication with
responsibility. This means that while Parks Canada will help
systems. Rescues requiring water travel use visitors, implementation of new technologies
facilitate safe and enjoyable experiences, visitors are ultim-
and strong relationships with partner organ-
ately responsible for their own safety.3 Shared responsibility motorized boats, canoes or rafts. Air access is
izations help achieve this goal and promote
The use of drones as a
becomes even more essential in remote or difficult-to-access done by helicopter - either by landing nearby
areas where self sufficiency is crucial, and rescue may be or slinging people in and out of the incident enjoyable visitor experiences within the search tool – to assess
site on a fixed-length line below a helicopter.4 mountain parks.
significantly delayed. an incident or to deliver
Currently, helicopter rescue provides the fast- Conrad Janzen works as a Visitor Safety
The Visitor Safety program focusses on two distinct areas: Specialist in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national
prevention and response. Prevention of incidents involves est response in most areas of the mountain supplies to a subject –
parks and allows for the use of minimal staff parks. He is also an ACMG certified Mountain
educating visitors about hazards, helping them prepare for
their experience and informing them of available response to conduct a rescue, even in technical terrain. Guide, a professional member of the Canadian is just beginning to be
Having Parks Canada-certified rescue pilots Avalanche Association, and has a Bachelor in
services. The goal is to encourage appropriate decision mak-
and helicopters which are equipped for sling Kinesiology with a major in Outdoor Pursuits explored in the
ing while enjoying the mountain parks. Prevention measures from the University of Calgary.
in the mountain parks include hosting hazard awareness
rescue nearby and available is key to making mountain parks.
helicopter rescues useful and efficient. References
outreach programs, personally answering visitor inquires and
developing trip-planning resources for visitors. One example The use of drones as a search tool – to assess 1. Mountain Safety program. Pc.gc.ca (2019). at https://www.
of a prevention strategy is the use of social media to provide an incident or to deliver supplies to a subject – is pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mtn/securiteenmontagne-mountainsafety/
programme-program
visitors with current terrain photos, trail conditions and rescue just beginning to be explored in the mountain
2. Parks Canada. Directive on Visitor Safety. 3-20 (Parks
reports to help with their decision making. This up-to-date parks. As drones become capable of longer
Canada, 2012).
information is especially useful for mountain routes with flight times and able to carry larger payloads,
3. Parks Canada. Visitor Safety fact sheet. (Parks Canada, 2015).
ongoing glacier recession and seasonal snow cover changes. they may play an increasing role in responses.
4. Parks Canada. Visitor Safety Program - 2017 IEM Statistics.
During the winter, prevention measures include publishing Partnering with other SAR groups allows for the (Parks Canada, 2018).
18 The Alpine Club of Canada State of the Mountains Report 2019 19You can also read
