
Tundra Fire Effects Studies
Featured case studies on the effects of fire in the Alaska Tundra from partners and cooperators
Wildfires occur less frequently in tundra areas of Alaska than in boreal forest, but the rapid climate warming and longer fire seasons we are now seeing are bringing more fire weather to tundra areas--not only in Western Alaska but also on the North Slope of Alaska--where they have been previously very rare. Tundra fire effects are sometimes not as obvious as forest fire effects, and most tundra plant species recover quickly after fire, yet, on some fires, impacts due to induction of soil warming, thermokarst and shifts induced in plant community make-up have the potential to transform the landscape.
Fire Effects Following Tundra Fires on Alaska's North Slope, 2007-2017 (Hot Off the Press!!)
This report summarizes information collected by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and many partners and cooperators between 2008 and 2017 on the effects of 2007 tundra fires on Alaska’s North Slope.
The Anaktuvuk River Fire geodatabase and database files for vegetation transects are available here