Wildfire mitigation strategies, such as fuel treatments, typically involve clearing highly flammable biomass (e.g., thinning, deadwood, dry branches) near infrastructure and communities. This biomass is often discarded and not valued. The study shows that it can instead be used as a renewable feedstock to produce bioenergy, reducing both fire hazards and diesel dependence. This directly supports SDG 7 by expanding access to clean, affordable, and locally sourced energy, and SDG 13 by reducing emissions from both diesel use and wildfires.
Key Findings from the Study
The research identified 33 remote Canadian communities that are both diesel-dependent and surrounded by wildfire-prone biomass within a 10 km buffer zone. Most have populations ranging from 100 to under 3,000, and annual energy demands ranging from 700 to 20,000 MWh, making localized biomass-to-energy systems technically and economically feasible.
The study found that harvesting less than 1% of the available biomass within the buffer zone would be enough to meet their entire annual energy demand, replacing the equivalent of fossil fuel use. Two energy conversion scenarios to assess the feasibility of using fire-risk biomass for renewable energy in remote communities were explored:
The greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of replacing diesel with bioenergy in remote communities is significant. As of 2020, remote communities across Canada collectively consumed approximately 682 million liters of diesel annually, primarily for electricity and heating. This diesel use served an estimated 200,000 people, resulting in roughly 9 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions per person each year. That’s more than three times the average emissions of a typical Canadian household. Transitioning to local, renewable bioenergy systems could dramatically reduce these emissions while enhancing energy independence and resilience.[2]
Co-benefits of the Integrated Approach
Since 2017, the Government of Canada has supported over hundred clean energy projects—including bioenergy initiatives—through its Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) program. However, biomass supply chains and logistics in northern and remote regions remain highly complex, primarily due to geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and seasonal accessibility challenges. Using locally available biomass instead not only simplifies logistics and saves money, but it also generates multiple co-benefits, such as:
To date, only a few communities have piloted these approaches (see examples here), highlighting the need for greater support, investment, and coordination to scale up locally driven bioenergy solutions. To fully unlock the potential of this approach, strategic investment is needed in local infrastructure, specialized equipment, fire awareness education, collaborative governance models, and aligned policy frameworks. Crucially, Indigenous leadership and traditional knowledge must be at the heart of implementation. Strong partnerships between governments, fire agencies, researchers, utilities, and Indigenous organizations will be essential to make this vision a reality.
This win-win solution shows how climate adaptation and energy transition can be addressed together. While the study focuses on off-grid communities, removing fire-prone biomass can and should be integrated into broader biomass supply chains and the growing bioenergy market, where the demand for renewable and sustainable feedstocks continues to rise. Scaling up such approaches offers not only local energy security and wildfire risk reduction but also contributes to a more resilient, sustainable bioeconomy at the regional and national levels.
Read the full article here:
Mansuy, N. et al. (2025). Integrating fire-smart fuels management with bioenergy benefits remote and Indigenous communities in Canada. Nature Communications Earth & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02313-1
[1] Mansuy, N., et al. (2025). Integrating fire-smart fuels management with bioenergy benefits remote and Indigenous communities in Canada. Commun Earth Environ 6, 358. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02313-1
[2] Buss, J., et al. (2022). Greenhouse gas mitigation potential of replacing diesel fuel with wood-based bioenergy in an arctic Indigenous community: A pilot study in Fort McPherson, Canada. Biomass and Bioenergy, 159, 106367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2022.106367