The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

An unusual fireweed. Photo M. Brubaker

A fireweed mystery - In the circumpolar north, fireweed is one of the most important and beloved of plants. In summer the hills are pink with the bright flowers and buzzing with bumble bees. In the fall the leaves turn fire red and for a second time they brighten the hills with vivid color. Children learn how to strip the leaves off the stem with one sweep, and wave them in the air like a miniature baton, or take on a friend with a fireweed sword fight. The plants are also important as a wild food and medicine. The shoots, stems and leaves are nutritious and can be eaten raw or made into a medicinal tea. The flowers are sweet and are used for a delicious jelly, and the pollen makes as fine a honey as you can find anywhere. Fireweed is also a natural calendar. The flowers bloom sequentially up the single, straight reddish stem. When the last flower blooms it is a signal for the end of summer. For these and many other reasons, it is one of our very favorite plants.

So my attention was piqued when Holly Dean posted her observation to LEO Network entitled Multi-headed Fireweed. She writes, "I counted 19 flowering heads coming from one stem! I have never seen this phenomenon before, is this something new?" Botanist Justin Fulkerson explained that these abnormalities are likely caused by a genetic mutation, not climate or weather. But the appearance of "several" of these plants is curious and I wondered if the phenomena was restricted to Holly's property. Then, two weeks later an article appeared in the Juneau Empire, (see Planet Alaska: The lool always knows), describing a similar phenomena with fireweed in Southeast Alaska.

That got the LEO Network team going and resulted in even more posts of abnormalities in the Anchorage area. So ... what is going on with the fireweed? Are these instances of abnormal plants from Juneau to Fairbanks in any way connected? We are asking our friends in the LEO Network to share observations about any unusual plants in their areas. A special thank you to Holly Dean for opening our eyes to this interesting event. Mike Brubaker - Editor

	Record-warm Arctic summer did not bring joy to wildlife Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia Atle Staalesen / The Independent Barents Observer / August 21, 2020 Climate change is triggering behavior change among animals across the Arctic. In Northern Siberia wild reindeer this summer started migrating almost a month earlier than normal. Read article on The Independent Barents Observer
	Polar bear mother brings her cubs into the Arctic town of Pevek in Chukotka Pevek, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia Siberia Times / August 24, 2020 It is still not clear if the family was brought so close to people by hunger as most locals believe or, as one account suggests, out of fear of being followed by an aggressive large male. Read article on Siberia Times
	Polar bear kills man in Norway's Arctic Svalbard islands Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen BBC News / August 28, 2020 The man, identified as 38-year-old Dutch citizen was attacked in his tent before dawn and died shortly afterwards of his injuries. Svalbard officials say there were seven people on the site at the time and they are being looked after by health services. Read article on BBC News
	Record heat in Svalbard is causing problems – Mine 7 inundated with meltwater Gruve 7, Advendtdalen, Svalbard Anja Ariel Tørnes Brekke, Aslaug Aarsæther / NRK / August 31, 2020 The glacier over Mine 7 in Adventdalen on Svalbard is thawing in the summer heat. This has resulted in a severe flood with thousands of liters of water. Read article on NRK
	Surprise flood kills salmon in West Iceland Alexander Elliott / RÚV / August 21, 2020 A jökulhlaup flood struck West Iceland’s Hvítá river in the early hours of Tuesday morning when water from a lagoon by the Langjökull glacier suddenly broke a new path and flowed in a different direction. Thick glacial mud now coats the river banks, and much of Borgarfjörður fjord. Read article on RÚV
	Multi-headed Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) Ester, Alaska, United States Holly Dean and Matt Carlson / LEO Network / July 10, 2020 Browsing moose may have damaged the primary flowering shoot of the fireweed, causing it to form multiple blooming stalks. Read post on the LEO Network
	Planet Alaska: The lool always knows Juneau, Alaska, United States Vivian Mork Yéilk’ / Juneau Empire / July 29, 2020 This summer, fireweed has been telling us to prepare for winter. It's been telling us the season is off kilter, too. Here in Juneau we've had fireweed plants that are blooming halfway up the stalk growing next to fireweed with barely any buds. Read article on Juneau Empire
	Dead whales wash up near Unalaska, but pandemic complicates necropsies Unalaska, Alaska, United States Alaska Public Media / August 27, 2020 Two dead whales have washed up on Unalaska's shores in the past week: an adult fin whale — which is the second largest mammal in the world — and a juvenile humpback. Read article on Alaska Public Media
	Dead beluga calf poses questions for biologists Juneau, Alaska, United States Brian Mazurek / Juneau Empire / August 27, 2020 It is thought to be either an aborted fetus or a very young calf. The calf is one of six belugas that have been found dead this year, five in the last month. Read article on Juneau Empire

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news coverage from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events. Thank you for reading our newsletter and for paying attention to our changing world.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern Climate Observer is published weekly by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events.

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