Use of Biopolymer to Remediate Wildfire Affected Soils

Wildfires are both natural and anthropogenic occurrences that have both immediate and long effects on ecosystems, human health, hydrology, and slope stability. Wildfire events are becoming more frequent due to climate change and human activity. Covering vast areas of land, ranging in frequency, intensity and duration, fires influence the physical, chemical, and biological processes of soil, hydrology, and vegetation. The long-term effects of widespread wildfires on soil processes are often unknown. Fires cause soil to become hydrophobic, lacking in the ability to infiltrate water, leaving a litter of ash and vegetation on the ground and an abundance of nutrients and chemicals. The run-off and erosion effects have a magnitude of aftereffects that can affect water and air quality, slope stability and even human health. The way in which affected areas are treated, restored, and remediated depends on the severity of the fire and the conditions of the ecosystem pre and post fire. There has yet to be a one size fits all solution to managing the aftereffects of wildfires, where there are critical knowledge gaps on soils, the larger ecological ramifications, and our ability to manage or remediate these impacts. Research has been conducted to better characterize wildfire-affected soils and understand its properties. Collected soil samples after the Four Corners Wildfire were tested for grainsize, pH, Redox, Electrical Conductivity and Direct Shear. Some samples were amended using Chitosan Oligosaccaride biopolymer and retested to characterize the soil behavior after the amendment. Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental properties of the samples are compared before and after the biopolymer amendment to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of using biopolymers to remediate wildfire-affected soils.