Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire

Recent episodes

1. Fox Lake Fire: Aspen, Hare we come

   Jul 29, 2026

   The Fox Lake Fire of 1998 burned all summer. Almost 30 years later, the leafy forest growing back provides food and shelter for Snowshoe Hare (including a wrong-coloured one hiding from Carrie and Karen) and all the animals that eat hare — which is pretty much everything. This forest is also primed for Northern Flickers, which have a very important job. But the show stealer is a mysterious fungus-filled tree and the wily rodent responsible for it. Show notes Key topics Fox Lake Fire (2:10) Fire mosaic (3:08) Forest succession (3:50) Fire cycle and the fire-resistant stage (5:06) Fox Lake Burn rest stop (7:23) History of the Fox Lake Fire (7:52) Snowshoe hare (9:00) Snowshoe Hare colour change (9:48) Canada Lynx (10:30) Hare and lynx cycle (10:55) Hare predators (12:50) Aspen versus spruce tree (14:07) Forest understory (14:49) Red-backed voles and predators (15:20) Weasels and marten (15:45) Elk (16:15) Ruffed Grouse (17:35) Northern Flicker (18:47) American Kestrel (20:07) Nest trees (20:18) Nest webs and tree cavities (20:51) Hare browse (22:45) Red Squirrel (23:23) Mushroom tree (23:54) Coyote (25:45) Interviews and audio clips: Jill Johnstone, affiliate research scientist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and research associate with Yukon University Tom Jung, senior wildlife biologist with the Yukon Department of Environment Katie Aitken, associate professor and program coordinator in the Northern Environmental and Conservation Sciences program at Yukon University and adjunct professor at University of Alberta. Episode artwork Photo of Canada Lynx by Cameron Eckert. Music credits Acoustic guitar melody #003 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/733990/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Acoustic guitar melody #010 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/734804/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Acoustic guitar melody #008 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/734793/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Baddum Tish - Comedy Rimshots - classic rim shot.wav by OverlookHotelRecords –freesound.org/s/271208/ – License: Creative Commons 0 Sound effects Ruffed Grouse: Logan McLeod, XC433034. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/433034. Yukon Wildlife/Wildfire is produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program and hosted by Karen McColl and Carrie McClelland. Sound design is by Mark Koepke. The podcast logo was designed by Dan Bushnell and Department of Environment. The theme song, White Bark Pine, was written and produced in the Yukon by Dana Jennejohn and performed in collaboration with the Bennett Sun. Learn more about Wildlife Viewing in the Yukon, including free events and publications. Sign up for the Wildlife Viewing newsletter . Follow Yukon Environment on Facebook . Music and sounds credits – intro: Thunder/raven: Mark Koepke Fire ignition: Lighting a Fire by plasterbrain—freesound.org/s/534702/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Black-backed woodpecker: Aiden Place, XC488401. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/488401 Red Squirrel: Backyard squirrel by SoundsLikeYukon—freesound.org/s/820322/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Woodpecker: SMA13024_20230620_051500 Boreal Chickadee: Logan McLeod, XC610278. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/610278

2. After the fire: The plants came back from Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire

   Jul 22, 2026

   The boreal forest and wildfire tell a story of resilience that stretch deep in time. Wandering through a fresh burn, Karen and ecologist Jill Johnstone unearth clues about the forest’s future. They investigate tree corpses and itty-bitty plants and some amazingly fast-growing ones as well. In a few years, shrubs and small aspen will entice Moose, Black Bear and other animals, but these early stages of regrowth are ephemeral. Eventually, coniferous pine and spruce trees will take over, changing everything. Show notes Key topics Succession (3:25)Takhini Bridge Fire (5:22) Fire mosses and liverworts (7:35) Organic layer (7:55) Conifer seedlings (8:27) Lodgepole Pine (9:25) Twinflower and Fireweed (10:00) Sedges (10:45) Willow (11:58) Shrub-dominated forest (13:00) Moose (13:18) Grey Wolf (14:42) Black Bear (16:25) Soapberry (16:50) Ants (17:52) Trembling Aspen (18:45) Climax forest (21:00) Interviews and audio clips: Jill Johnstone, affiliate research faculty with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and research associate appointment with Yukon University; specializes in post-fire dynamics of boreal forests. Tyler Ross, ungulate biologist with the Yukon Department of Environment Tom Jung, senior wildlife biologist with the Yukon Department of Environment Episode artwork Photo of Black Bear by Gordon Court. Music credits Acoustic guitar melody #011 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/735192/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Acoustic guitar melody #005 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/734305/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Acoustic guitar melody #007 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/734660/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Yukon Wildlife/Wildfire is produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program and hosted by Karen McColl and Carrie McClelland. Sound design is by Mark Koepke. The podcast logo was designed by Dan Bushnell and Department of Environment. The theme song, White Bark Pine, was written and produced in the Yukon by Dana Jennejohn and performed in collaboration with the Bennett Sun. Learn more about Wildlife Viewing in the Yukon, including free events and publications. Sign up for the Wildlife Viewing newsletter . Follow Yukon Environment on Facebook . Music and sounds credits – intro: Thunder/raven: Mark Koepke Fire ignition: Lighting a Fire by plasterbrain—freesound.org/s/534702/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Black-backed woodpecker: Aiden Place, XC488401. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/488401 Red Squirrel: Backyard squirrel by SoundsLikeYukon—freesound.org/s/820322/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Woodpecker: SMA13024_20230620_051500 Boreal Chickadee: Logan McLeod, XC610278. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/610278

3. Takhini Bridge Fire: Hoo is there? from Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire

   Jul 14, 2026

   Wildfire can be destructive, but that’s not the whole story. When two naturalists with the Yukon Wildlife Viewing Program walk into the 2023 Takhini Bridge Fire burn, it feels apocalyptic. But on closer examination, Carrie and Karen see grasses sprouting and scattered seeds that attract animals big and small. They learn about a fire-loving beetle and a beetle-loving woodpecker, and get schooled on a mysterious bird of prey that suddenly swooped in. Show notes Key topics The role of fire in the boreal forest (3:45) The fire cycle in the Yukon (5:59) 2023 Takhini Bridge Fire (6:25) Morel mushrooms (7:31) Owl and hare sighting (10:07) Lodgepole Pine (11:40) Meadow Vole (12:24) Red Fox (13:40) Boreal Chickadee (14:13) Elk (15:10) Elk bugle (17:04) Tree cavities with Michael Quinn (18:06) Black-backed woodpecker (18:33) Fire-loving beetles (18:53) Northern Hawk Owl (20:12) Edge habitat (21:25) Interviews and audio clips Mike Flannigan, BC Innovation Research Chair in Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science, Faculty of Science at Thomson Rivers University. Tom Jung, senior wildlife biologist with the Yukon Department of Environment. Michael Quinn, researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada. Episode artwork Photo of Red-backed Vole by Alex Beatty/Government of Yukon. Music Acoustic guitar melody #015 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/737877/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Acoustic guitar melody #013 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/735394/ – License: Attribution 4.0/ Acoustic guitar melody #014 by GuitarStringTheory – freesound.org/s/735496/ – License: Attribution 4.0 Sound effects Boreal Chickadee: Logan McLeod, XC610278. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/610278 Elk: Danielle Munzing, XC971966. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/971966 Phone dial and ring: Mark Koepke Audio of beetles and woodpeckers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada What: Audio files recorded using Song Meter Automated Recording Units (ARU) Description: These audio files featuring woodpeckers, songbirds, and bark and wood-boring beetles were recorded in recently burned boreal forest in central Yukon in June 2023 Credit: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada File name: SMA13011_20230604_091500 Notes: beetles chewing Year: 2023 ARU: W15 (13011) File name: SMA13024_20230620_051500 Notes: high abundance of woodpeckers Year: 2023 ARU: 13024 File name: SMA13095_20230622_093000 Notes: likely young woodpeckers being fed by parent Year: 2023 ARU: 13095 Yukon Wildlife/Wildfire is produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program and hosted by Karen McColl and Carrie McClelland. Sound design is by Mark Koepke. The podcast logo was designed by Dan Bushnell and Department of Environment. The theme song, White Bark Pine, was written and produced in the Yukon by Dana Jennejohn and performed in collaboration with the Bennett Sun. Learn more about Wildlife Viewing in the Yukon, including free events and publications. Sign up for the Wildlife Viewing newsletter . Follow Yukon Environment on Facebook . Music and sounds credits – intro: Thunder/raven: Mark Koepke Fire ignition: Lighting a Fire by plasterbrain—freesound.org/s/534702/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Black-backed woodpecker: Aiden Place, XC488401. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/488401 Red Squirrel: Backyard squirrel by SoundsLikeYukon—freesound.org/s/820322/ – License: Creative Commons 0/ Woodpecker: SMA13024_20230620_051500 Boreal Chickadee: Logan McLeod, XC610278. Accessible at xeno-canto.org/610278