Last month, a huge wildfire raced through Jasper National Park in Alberta. It burned 34,000 hectares of boreal forest.

The boreal forest is supposed to burn. Fire is part of its life cycle. It clears away dead trees and brush and returns the nutrients to the soil.

But what about Jasper’s wildlife? The park is home to many mammals, birds, fish, and other creatures. What happened to them when the fire swept through?

Escape plans

Animals living in the boreal forest evolved with fire. They know what to do.