Fire, smoke, and moose: Three questions for Wildlife Biologist Adam Mortensen

Photo credit: Seth Moore

As smoke blankets the Lake Superior region, and wildfires burn nearby, we checked with our wildlife biologist, Adam Mortensen, to learn about potential impacts on Northeast Minnesota’s moose populations.

Adam will be writing more about this topic in the future, but for now, here are answers to our three top questions:

Q: How are moose faring during the fires?

A: Active fires and their smoke are dangerous for moose in many of the same ways that they are for humans. Luckily, Northern Moose Alliance researchers have few moose that are close to any of the active fires, but because they are collared and we can track their movements, we will be watching to see how they reacted to such dense smoke. 

Q: How will moose be impacted by burned areas?

A: Moose need areas with canopy cover to protect from thermal stress in the summer and lessen snow loads in the winter.

In the short term, the loss of tree cover in burned areas will likely push them to other parts of their range where the canopy remains. 

Q: Are long-term impacts different?

A: Large-scale disturbance has always been a part of the boreal forest and many species, including moose, are adapted to take advantage of areas of regrowth following forest fires. Landscapes where fire is present provide moose with a mosaic of older forest that offer thermal cover and protection from predators while post-fire areas of regeneration serve as fertile feeding grounds. Many studies show moose utilizing burned areas roughly 10 years after the fire.  

Stay tuned for more information on how moose are handling and adapting to conditions this summer, and visit moosealliance.org for regular updates, including Adam’s regular “Moose Browse” column.

About NPLSF

The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) exists to provide financial support for projects and programs that preserve the natural resources and cultural heritage of the five Lake Superior national parks: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Northern Moose Alliance is one of our region-wide partnership programs.

Funded through grants and private donations, NPLSF projects and programs ensure that these great parks and historic sites are maintained for the enjoyment of all current and future visitors.

To learn how you can support our work visit nplsf.org/donate.