Workshop: Salmon Watershed Recovery in Post-Wildfire Environments

On Jan. 26, 2022, the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) hosted a collaborative workshop on salmon watershed recovery in post-wildfire environments to explore the risks wildfires impose on salmon and habitat as well as consider potential solutions and responses.

“The frequency and severity of large, catastrophic wildfires in salmon watersheds are increasing due to climate change. 2017, 2018, and 2021 were the three worst wildfire years based on area burned in B.C.’s history,” said Jeff Morgan, a PSF consultant.

The online event brought together roughly 185 participants from Oregon, Utah, and across B.C. The collective brought wide-ranging expertise in forestry, hydrology, and channel morphology, and discussed management actions to mitigate impacts and accelerate the recovery of watersheds and salmon habitat after devastating wildfires.

Wildfires can cause major changes to forests and soils, which leads to shifts in watersheds that have serious consequences for salmon and their habitat.

PSF is showing leadership by developing a Forest Fire Playbook, which will explore landscape strategy options for salmon during the wildfire season. A first draft of the Forest Fire Playbook, the first of its kind, is expected in June.

Learn more about PSF’s plan to ensure salmon ecosystems can always rebound after fires here. For the latest updates on the Playbook, subscribe to PSF’s e-newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.