Fires have been a force of change in interior Alaska for thousands of years. Over time, repeated fire have selected for plants adapted to fire-caused change. For example, mature spruce trees can benefit from intense ground fire. Fire often removes organic material and exposes fertile seedbeds.
Furthermore, fire plays a role in regulating permafrost. Without fire, organic matter accumulates, frozen soil increases, and ecosystem productivity declines. Vegetation communities and wildlife habitat may become less diverse. Fire reduces organic matter, elicits warming of the soil, and rejuvenates boreal systems.
Humans, plants, and animals all benefit from the effects of fire. Fire can be integral to Indigenous peoples’ way of life. Alaska Natives use fire to manage the land for specific species of both plants and animals. They use fire to hunt game, and for many other important cultural uses. Fire is a tool that promotes ecological diversity. Native Alaskans have a sophisticated understanding of fire and use it strategically on the landscape. Fire has been shown to increase berry production, providing humans and animals with food.
Within Denali National Park and Preserve, park managers use natural wildfire as a tool as well. The Park’s General Management Plan states that the goal of the Fire Management Program is “to protect human life, property and significant resources while allowing fire to fulfill its role in the ecosystem” (DENA N-520.001).
