Tundra fire in wetlands

Location: Kaminak Lake Area,  Nunavut, Canada – Location not precisely known

This photo, taken from an altitude of about 300 m, shows a line of fire racing across a grass-sedge meadow. Fires on terrains vegetated with grasses, though faster burning and more spectacular than those in mudboil terrain, have little lasting effect on the geological substrate, but promote vigorous new growth in the natural vegetation. Note the linear features in front of the fire, which are trails made by individual or groups of animals belonging to the Kaminuriak caribou herd, which migrates through this region. Observations on the ground confirm that the flames in this case were more than 2 m high. In high resolution it can be seen that many of the caribou trails persist in the burnt area.

Updated 04/07/2010 AW