Tundra fire burning vegetation around a mudboil
Location: Between southern Carr Lake and southern Kaminak Lake, Kivalliq, Nunavut, Canada; Approximately 62° 02'N, 95° 30'W
Close-up view of slow-burning turf ring around a mudboil (nonsorted circle) in an area of extensive tundra fires triggered by lightning. This type of fire burns slowly and at high temperatures, leaving behind a ring of boulders, ash, and baked fine sediment. See explanation in image 0053 and low-altitude air photos of fields of burned mudboils in images 0104 and 0107, which show ash patterns as fire is still burning. See also images 0102, 0103, 0105, and 0106. This is probably Fire #5, as described in Shilts, 1975.
Updated 08/28/2009 CAB