According to KSKA-Radio (via APRN), Alaska's controversial predator control program gets a huge amount of attention, but Department of Fish and Game biologists are using conclusions from a study of moose food supply and forest fires to inform fire management plans and the state's effort to increase moose populations. A wildlife biologist explained that forest fires play a large role in creating appealing browse for the creatures. When fires of low intensity occur early in the year, they free up nutrients and warm soils without destroying roots, which can create a summer bounty that same year. In years when food is plentiful and moose are healthy, cows are more likely give birth to twins. Listen to much more here, but ignore the headline; it doesn't match too well. Alaska Beat's favorite part of the report was hearing about biologists darting calves to measure them, then letting them loose to rejoin what sounded like nearby mothers. Sounds pretty risky, but then again, we're not moose biologists.