Parks Canada may never know cause of Point Pelee fire
Fire destroyed more than 125 hectares of marsh, but habitat is bouncing back
Investigators still don't know what caused the fire that consumed more than 100 hectares of marshland at Point Pelee National Park in March.
Leamington Fire Services initially said the fire was started by "natural causes," but the cause was later listed as "undetermined" after Parks officials provided new information.
"There never was a point where we had determined the cause and we're still at that point," said park superintendent Maria Papoulias, adding the investigation is ongoing and any new information will be released.
But, she explained, it's not clear whether an explanation for what sparked the blaze will ever be found.
"Any time we have an unplanned fire, we investigate and we do our best to find the root cause of the fire," said Papoulias. "Whether we will ever make a determination or not, it's really too early for me to say."
The roaring fire lit up the night sky on March 29 and sent clouds of dark smoke billowing into the sky.
In the months that followed, the charred marshland has started to bounce back, according to the superintendent.
"The marsh is recovering beautifully," Papoulias said, adding she wasn't worried about plants or wildlife. "Fire is a natural process of renewal in the marsh and in most ecosystems in the park."