Jill Johnstone and James Waldram: After the fire

Two professors from the College of Arts & Science, Jill Johnstone (Biology) and James Waldram (Psychology, Archaelogy and Anthropology) comment on the aftermath of the Saskatchewan fires in The StarPhoenix.

After the fire: What's next for northern forests and communities?

By Kendall Latimer, The StarPhoenix, July 30, 2015

Forest fire aftermath creates adult treasure hunt

Beth Rogers and Thayne Robstad spent more than a month foraging in a burnt Northwest Territories forest this summer.

The Saskatoon couple was in search of morel mushrooms, which thrive in the aftermath of forest fires. After this year's widespread inferno in northern Saskatchewan, they predict morels will be plentiful there next year.

"They're prolific after a forest fire. They don't necessarily need fire, but they grow in huge numbers after one," Robstad said. Rogers noted morels are more predictable and easier to spot in blackened tree stands where the undergrowth has been reduced to ash.

"It's like a post-apocalyptic scene, and you're always black, covered in soot at the end of the day," Robstad said.

The couple said the reason the mushrooms seem so abundant after a fire is a matter of debate, but one thing certain: they are a highly sought-after commodity.