Wildland fires in the Arctic have become a critical environmental concern with far-reaching ecological, social, economic, and cultural implications - serving as a stark reminder on the urgency of addressing climate change and its immediate and long-term impacts in the Arctic and globally.
The Arctic Council has been working extensively on wildland fires over the past years, monitoring and addressing fires on multiple levels. Then, in the summer of 2023, Canada experienced its worst wildfire season so far, following a general trend in the Arctic, and the Norwegian Chairship decided that wildland fires had to be lifted even higher on the Council's agenda and established the Chairship's Wildland Fires Initiative (WFI).
The WFI aims to consolidate the Arctic Council’s expertise and resources, and collaborate with external partners to make information on Arctic wildland fires more accessible through public panels, outreach campaigns, and other initiatives during the Norwegian Chairship.
This newsletter offers a brief overview of what has been achieved so far. |
|
|
|
Making fire a priority
How Norway leverages its Chairship Wildland Fires Initiative to raise fires on the Council's agenda - and beyond |
|
|
Status check: The Arctic Council’s work on addressing Arctic wildland fires
The first months of the Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council (2023-2025) coincided with Canada experiencing its worst wildfire season so far - an emerging trend in the Arctic. In response, Norway recognized the urgency of addressing Arctic wildland fires as a critical climate change issue and decided to lift the issue high on the Arctic Council’s agenda – and beyond.
Collaborating closely with Gwich’in Council International and several of the Council’s Working Groups, the Chairship launched its Wildland Fires Initiative in October 2023. Almost a year into the initiative, co-leads Morten Høglund, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, and Edward Alexander, Co-Chair of Gwich’in Council International, sat down for a conversation to discuss the progress and future directions of this important work - read their full conversation here. |
| |
|
All you need to know: The Wildland Fires Initiative
Access the WFI one-stop shop for learning more about what the initiative is all about, which outcomes Norway is expecting and what's the latest news on our dedicated landing page. |
|
|
| |
|
Watch this short video in which representatives of the Indigenous Permanent Participants share experiences and observations on wildland fires in the Arctic.
|
|
Fire chats on demand
An integral part of the Norwegian Chairship's Wildland Fires Initiative is its discussion series, featuring sharing circles and panels on a wide range of fire-related topics - from cultural burning practices of Arctic Indigenous Peoples to the need for international cooperation.
You can watch all of the recorded sessions on the Arctic Council's Vimeo channel. |
|
|
Sharing Circle: Cultural burning
This Wildland Fire Sharing Circle brought together Indigenous knowledge holders who spoke on fire practices, changes, and impacts. The event was organized by Gwich’in Council International at the Arctic Frontiers 2024 and involved representatives of the Permanent Participants.
Watch the full sharing circle here. |
|
|
Fire in focus at ASSW
This side event at the Arctic Science Summit Week 2024 (ASSW) provided an overview of the wildland fire work conducted by Arctic Council’s Working Groups - from emission monitoring to fire ecology, from international cooperation to effectively respond to fires. In addition, it invited external researchers to present different wildland fire issue/challenges.
Watch the full session here. |
|
|
A call for international cooperation
The side event at the Arctic Circle Forum Berlin 2024 actively engaged Arctic Council Observers and featured the wildfire expertise of Observer States such as Poland and Spain, as well of the European Union and engaged in a dialogue on cooperation possibilities and potential synergies.
Watch the full side event here. |
|
|
Wildfire interview series
Living with and working on Arctic wildland fires |
|
|
| |
Resiliency in the face of fire: How northern forests adapt to wildfire
At first glance, the story of wildfires and trees appears to be one of destruction. However, trees and forests have adapted in incredible ways to live with, and re-grow after fire - an interview with Dr. Ellen Whitman, forest fire research scientist with Natural Resources Canada in the Canadian Forest Service, and a Canadian representative to the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF) project, ArcticFIRE. Read the full interview.
|
|
| |
|
Lena Popova, PhD student at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, has investigated forest fires in Siberia and speaks about her research and personal experiences with fires.
|
|
| |
Wildfires in Alaska: Shifting landscapes and fire management strategies
As climate change leads to more intense and destructive Arctic wildfire seasons, and wildfire emissions exacerbate climate change, how can we re-think fire management? With climate change leading to more intense and destructive wildfire seasons, and wildfire emissions contributing to further climate change, how can we re-think fire management? An interview with Lisa Saperstein, the Regional Fire Ecologist for Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska and a United States representative in the steering group for the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF) project, ArcticFIRE. Read the full interview.
|
|
| |
Fire and ice: Impacts of wildfires on permafrost and peatlands
Peatlands play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate. What happens when intensifying wildland fires burn through peatlands, accelerating permafrost thaw and damaging these vital ecosystems? An interview with Dan Thompson who works as a forest fire research scientist for the Canadian Forest Service and is an expert for the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF) contributing to the ArcticFIRE project. Read the full interview here.
|
|
ICYMI - Arctic Council News
|
|
|
Interview with the first CAFF Arctic Indigenous Canadian Youth Fellow
Josh Komangapik, an Inuk from Iqaluit, Nunavut, is the first CAFF Arctic Indigenous Canadian Youth Fellow. Over the past months, he has contributed to CAFF’s Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program. Learn more about Josh and the fellowship. |
|
|
Waste management in remote Arctic communities
Solid waste management practices in small, remote Arctic communities can pose significant human health, environmental and economic concerns. The Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) and Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP) – have therefore initiated a number of projects to address this issue. Learn more about their work.
|
|
|
Arctic Circle Assembly
The Arctic Council will have a strong presence at the upcoming Arctic Circle Assembly, 17-19 October, Reykjavik, Iceland. Highlights include two high-level plenaries: one on wildland fires and the other on occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). In addition, the Permanent Participants and the Council's Working Groups are hosting a suite of sessions with topics ranging from mental health to waste management, radioactivity and biodiversity. Stay tuned! |
|
|
The Arctic Youth Conference
The Norwegian Chairship (2023-2025) is hosting the inaugural Arctic Youth Conference (AYC). The conference is organized for youth by youth and will take place on 24-26 January 2025 in Tromsø, Norway.
Learn more about the conference and how to participate on the event page. |
|
|
Arctic Emergency Management Conference
One of the first international conferences dedicated to a holistic view of Arctic emergency management, this conference is part of the official program of the Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council (2023-2025). The Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group of the Arctic Council (EPPR) is a main organizer in cooperation with Nord University. The conference will take place 18-20 March 2025 in Bodø, Norway. Learn more about the conference.
|
|
|
The Arctic Council's social corner
|
|
|
The Inuit Circumpolar Council, Saami Council, and the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) have recently launched a book, ”Empowering Arctic Indigenous Peoples: Celebrating 50 Years of Indigenous Diplomacy”. This new publication celebrates the two groundbreaking and successful conferences – the first Arctic Peoples’ Conference in 1973 and the second Arctic Peoples’ Conference in 2023. Download the online version here.
|
|
|
Check out @SDWG_Arctic’s features about the ARENA III onsite session organized by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. ARENA stands for Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy and SDWG invites you to follow the experiences of the 2024/2025 cohort.
|
|
|
|
