By Regan Dixon
One cannot ignore the wildfire officially dubbed “Downton Lake fire”, which would more appropriately be called “Mount Penrose fire”. It has affected everyone in the valley, but most especially Gun and Lajoie Lake residents, who have been evacuated since early this month. This fire, affecting the lake-facing sides of the mountain, will go down in the history of the Bridge River Valley.
Although this fire seems devastating (particularly to those who have lost property), it is not the first fire in the area, nor even the most profound disruption. A bit over two thousand years ago, relatively recently in the life of a forest, Mount Meager erupted, burying our area under a shower of tephra. The forest regenerated, and has since built up a couple of inches of soil. It will regenerate again, to current conditions.
Wood-boring insects will break down dead and burnt wood. Watch for the woodpeckers that will flock to eat them. In the hollowed stumps and logs, small mammals will make new homes. Openings in the forest canopy make way for pioneer species. Spectacular, bee-beloved fireweed will colonize bare areas. Its leaves and stems break down readily, becoming beginnings of new soil. Nitrogen-fixing lupines will be happy to establish themselves on nitrogen-depleted soil. Thimbleberries, which spread by their roots, will cover the nakedness of the slopes, providing browse for deer, cover for small animals, and generous leaf mulch. Creatures attracted to its berries will excrete seeds of other plants, hastening their return. Fire-resistant snow brush seeds, dormant for decades, are primed by fire to sprout–making a springy, evergreen groundcover. Fast-growing aspens, sprouting from complex root colonies, will give dappled shade which encourages more tender species. Birches, classic pioneers, resprout from stumps and build soil, as well as feed birds and deer. Sun-loving lodgepole and ponderosa pines, with seed cones that open with the heat of fire, will be the first conifers to return. Many mature Douglas firs will survive this fire–possibly not their first–thanks to their thick bark. The same will be true for ponderosas.
On a human scale, we hope that this fire is a once-in-a-lifetime event. In terms of the forest, though, it’s simply another cycle of house cleaning and renewal, over the millennia of its existence. We can follow its progress, and take comfort in the process of life renewing itself.
Mt Penrose before the burn – Photo by Michelle Nortje
Mt Penrose after the burn – Photo by Mike Jensen
2009 Mowson Pond burn seen this year with Mt Penrose burning in the background – Photo Michelle Nortje
A BIG thank-you Michelle for this stark reminder of the ‘process’! The fire of 2009 was emotionally devastating, in my eyes, as the ‘familiar’ was changed. Your article is a good reminder of the healing process that will take place. We are left with our memories of what’was’ and now must look forward to the future.
Good information, Regan. Encouraging for those who are familiar with Mt. Penrose and the lakes. Our lives are not long enough to see the entire sequence but reassuring to know in such detail that all be well again.
Lovely. Nature is restorative but people trying to control it is exhausting. I’d be happy to fast forward to next summer!
Thank you Regan, this is an inspiring post. I remember how devastating the 2009 fire area looked and while 14 years later you can still tell it happened, it is gratifying to see how your predictions will come true. Also, it is interesting by the photos to see that not everything burns – some areas are saved naturally. Once we adjust to the new reality it will be fascinating watching the circle of nature.
Beautifully written Regan and all so true. I remember how devastated we all were in the 60’s 70’s or 80’s when the trees were all dying from the pine beetle and Penrose was a brown disaster. Nature is pretty wonderful.