Lakehead University professor says wildfire adaptability varies among species
Where some animals thrive, others suffer smoke inhalation, other stressors
As nearly a dozen First Nations in northwestern Ontario face special air quality warnings due to wildfire smoke, the region's wildlife is also affected by smoke.
In the province's most recent update Monday night, two dozen wildfires were reported in the northwest, the largest — Red Lake 12 — measuring more than 175,000 hectares.
As of Monday afternoon, special air quality warnings were in effect for the following communities, jointly issued by both the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Environment and Climate Change Canada:
- Cat Lake.
- Deer Lake.
- Kingfisher Lake.
- Macdowell.
- Pickle Lake.
- Pikangikum.
- Poplar Hill.
- Weagamow Lake.
- Wunnummin Lake.
- Sandy Lake.
- Summer Beaver.
Less severe air quality statements are also in place for several surrounding communities.
"Extremely high levels of air pollution have developed due to smoke from forest fires over far northwestern Ontario. The smoke may persist for the next few days over some locations," Environment and Climate Change Canada says.
The wildfires have already resulted in community evacuations in Deer Lake, Keewaywin, Sandy Lake and Webequie First Nations, which are ongoing.
An evacuation in North Spirit Lake has been paused, and evacuees from Wabaseemoong Independent Nations were recently cleared to return home.
"The wildland fire hazard is mainly high to extreme across the northwest region, with some isolated pockets of moderate hazard through the northern Sioux Lookout and Nipigon fire management sectors," Ontario Forest Fires says on its website.
For humans, common symptoms include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough.
But for animals, the risks can vary greatly among different species, said Brian McLaren, an associate professor at Lakehead University's natural resources management department who specializes in wildlife.
"Mice try to run from the fire and they just can't make it, and it turns out hawks can detect the smoke, move to the edges of the fire and really clean up the mice that are trying to escape," McLaren told CBC's Superior Morning. "The small [animals] are the most affected."
Impact of smoke inhalation on animals
Oftentimes, small mammals go into a torpor when conditions are smoky, "which means they're kind of dormant and not inhaling the smoke at the same time," McLaren said.
Meanwhile, for bark beetles and woodpeckers, fires draw them to the forest, as the cambium of the wood becomes a much-desired food source.
"Woodpeckers will have a big boost in reproductive output just a year or two after a fire," said McLaren.
Yellowstone National Park's 1988 wildfires made international headlines after nearly one-third of the park was consumed by flames. At that time, McLaren said, herds of elk escaped by flocking to the river valleys, adapting to the environment's conditions.
However, "it turns out smoke inhalation was the reason for the death of over 200 elk."
Amphibians, lizards and snakes are very susceptible to smoke damage because they absorb the toxins through their skin, he added.
And while people only use about 10 per cent of their lung capacity, "birds will completely flush their lungs every time they take a breath."
A balancing act
For animals that have to flee their homes, many studies show higher competition for resources and other stressors can affect reproduction and survivability for generations, he said.
"It's not always immediately obvious what happens, but as we know ourselves, stress can produce major changes in our lives," McLaren said.
For insects in lakes, the smoke means less light penetrates through the water, which results in a complete redistribution of insects — creating a chain reaction on the diets of fish.
Good news for hunters and trappers is the wildfire season is typically long finished by the time the hunting season rolls around.
"The meat itself is muscle tissue that is not going to have enduring effects of the smoke," said McLaren.
While wildfires bring positives and negatives to ecosystems and their inhabitants, McLaren said the adaptability speaks to nature's ever-changing balancing act.
"You have animals that are adapted to fire, animals that are not well-adapted to fire, especially as they are occurring more frequently," he said. "There is an overall holistic effect in the way I look at things."
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With files from Mary-Jean Cormier