Burned Area Assessments

Freshly burned forest in 2021

In 2021, a wildfire burned approximately 1,300 hectares of harvested blocks along the Hobbit Road in the Highrock Forest Section. Most of the affected blocks were nine to ten years old and, prior to the fire, were regenerating well with jack pine and black spruce.

NFMC assessed the area shortly after the fire to determine whether it would be a suitable candidate for Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program. At that time, large portions of the site appeared heavily impacted and largely devoid of regeneration.

The same area was reassessed in summer 2025 with the intention of ordering seedlings for fall planting under the 2 Billion Trees program. However, field assessments showed the site was brimming with naturally established seedlings, reducing the need for additional planting.

Same area 4 years later

These observations highlight the resilience of the boreal forest and its remarkable ability to adapt and recover following fire, reinforcing the importance of monitoring, assessment, and informed decision making in sustainable forest management