Kevin Parkinson ignites slow-burning forest fires with a special kind of ammunition — thousands of tiny fireballs shot from the air into the trees below. The process involves items that look like Ping-Pong balls, and "the Ping-Pong balls are filled with potassium permanganate," Parkinson said. Prescribed burns are done across Alberta every year to help eliminate potential fuel for wildfires, including dead wood and underbrush. By bringing new growth to the forest floor, prescribed burns can help restore the boreal habitat and reduce the wildfire risk. "Some are larger-scale prescribed burns, some of them are to bring back habitat for elk or bighorn sheep.

Source: CBC News June 22, 2020 12:56 UTC