Did enhanced afforestation cause high severity peat burn in the Fort McMurray Horse River wildfire?

• Published in: Environmental Research Letters
• Main Authors: S L Wilkinson, P A Moore, M D Flannigan, B M Wotton, J M Waddington
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 2018
• Subjects: peatland; afforestation; wildfire; tipping point; land management; Sphagnum; Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering; TD1-1066; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Science; Q; Physics; QC1-999; Fort McMurray; Horse River
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaa136; https://doaj.org/article/03da0e4c340743a0afa24b97affca28d

Climate change mediated drying of boreal peatlands is expected to enhance peatland afforestation and wildfire vulnerability. The water table depth–afforestation feedback represents a positive feedback that can enhance peat drying and consolidation and thereby increase peat burn severity; exacerbatin...