Are forest fires increasing the amounts of metals in lakes and wetlands?
Data and Resources
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Creator | Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program |
| Summary | Forests fires support natural forest regeneration but also release ash and metals bound in soils and plants, potentially affecting water quality. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Carleton University worked with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Wek’èezhìı Renewable Resources Board, and Tłı̨cho ˛ Government to see if metals, such as mercury released by fires, were washed into or settled on lakes and wetlands. We found that forest fires in the Northwest Territories (NWT) had not significantly increased total metal concentrations. |
| Local Relevance | Forest fires are likely to become increasingly common in the NWT due to climate change. It is important to understand the potential implications of increased forest fires on the environment. |
| Notes | This bulletin is part of the Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program's NWT Environmental Research Bulletin series - Volume 5, Issue 20. |
| Tags | Wildfire,Wetlands,Lakes,Freshwater,Water Quality,Metals,Mercury |
| Geographic Region | North Slave |
| Release Date | 2021-01-01 |
| Last Modified Date | 2021-01-01 |
| Funding Program | Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program |