Podcast
Questions and Answers
What causes zombie fires to emerge after the snow begins to melt?
What causes zombie fires to emerge after the snow begins to melt?
- They are struck by lightning or ignited by controlled burns. (correct)
- They emerge from uncontrolled wildfires that spread during winter.
- They are triggered by changes in temperature alone.
- They occur due to increased rainfall in the spring.
Which of the following factors makes zombie fires particularly difficult to detect?
Which of the following factors makes zombie fires particularly difficult to detect?
- They burn at high temperatures.
- They often occur in remote areas. (correct)
- They produce a lot of smoke.
- They are always visible on satellite imagery.
How many zombie fires are reported to be raging in British Columbia and Alberta combined this year?
How many zombie fires are reported to be raging in British Columbia and Alberta combined this year?
- Around 148 (correct)
- Approximately 93
- More than 200
- Over 50
What type of organic matter sustains zombie fires?
What type of organic matter sustains zombie fires?
What has contributed to the surge of zombie fires in Canada this year compared to typical years?
What has contributed to the surge of zombie fires in Canada this year compared to typical years?
Which characteristic is common to the areas where zombie fires typically occur?
Which characteristic is common to the areas where zombie fires typically occur?
What is the primary reason zombie fires are also called overwintering fires?
What is the primary reason zombie fires are also called overwintering fires?
In which regions outside Canada are zombie fires also commonly found?
In which regions outside Canada are zombie fires also commonly found?
Flashcards
Zombie Fires
Zombie Fires
Wildfires that smolder underground during the winter, waiting to reignite in warmer weather.
Peat
Peat
A type of organic matter found in soil that is highly flammable and can sustain underground fires for long periods.
Precipitation
Precipitation
The amount of water that falls to the ground as rain or snow.
Winter
Winter
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Controlled Burning
Controlled Burning
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Forest
Forest
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Burn Area
Burn Area
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Underground Fire
Underground Fire
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Study Notes
2023 Canadian Wildfires: Zombie Fires
- 2023 Canadian wildfire season was the worst on record, with over 6,500 blazes scorching over 48 million acres, a 170% increase from 2022.
- Wildfires appeared to have calmed with the arrival of snow, but many were not fully extinguished.
- "Zombie" fires, also known as holdover or overwintering fires, are wildfires that rekindle after seeming to be extinguished, remaining dormant under the snow.
- These fires are sustained by organic matter like peat.
- They can reignite when the ground is struck by lightning or farmers set controlled burns.
- The wildfires can burn underground for weeks, months, or even years.
- Zombie fires are annual occurrences in BC and Alberta, typically no more than 15 per year. However, 2023 has seen a major surge, with over 93 in BC and over 55 in Alberta.
- A lack of snow and unusually warm winters have enabled the fires to persist beneath the snowpack, allowing them to continue smoldering.
- These underground, largely flameless fires spread undetected and are challenging to discover in remote and thick forest areas.
- Detection is hampered by frozen, snow-covered ground, that hinders firefighter access and monitoring.
- Cold coniferous forests, thick with easily flammable needles and vegetation, are vulnerable to zombie fires, as seen in BC, Alberta, Alaska, Northern Europe, and Siberia.
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