UBC experts available to comment on wildfires and associated air quality

B.C. declared a state of emergency Wednesday due to the ongoing wildfire situation. The state of emergency will be in place for 14 days, and may be extended or rescinded as necessary.

UBC experts are available to discuss wildfires in B.C., poor air quality and associated health risks.

Air quality

Chris Carlsten
Faculty of Medicine
Email: carlsten@mail.ubc.ca
Tel: 604-839-1561

• Respiratory problems from air quality and smoke

Sarah Henderson
School of Population and Public Health
Email: sarah.henderson@bccdc.ca

• Wildfire smoke and health effects
• Preparing for wildfire smoke

*Sarah Henderson is in Toronto, and available by phone

Angela Yao
PhD candidate, School of Population and Public health
Email: angelayao3@gmail.com

• Health effects of forest fire smoke exposure

*Available for interviews in Mandarin and Cantonese

Naomi Zimmerman
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Email: nzimmerman@mech.ubc.ca

• Assessment of air pollutants using high-resolution monitoring networks
• Role of new transportation technology (e.g., LNG, connected vehicles) on air and climate

*Unavailable August 23 – September 14.

Wildfires

David Andison
Department of Forest Management Resources
Tel: 778-388-0985

• How forest fires behave
• Ecological implications of wildfires
• Wildfire management
• Managing forests as whole ecosystems
• “FireSmart” concept

*David Andison is in Nelson, B.C., and is available by cell or Skype.

John Braun
Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics (Okanagan campus)
Email: john.braun@ubc.ca
Tel: 250-807-8032

• Using statistical analysis in fire science
• Assessing firefighter pilot fatigue

Lori Daniels
Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Tel: 236-997-5222

• Forest fires, past and present
• Impacts of climate change on forests

David Scott
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (Okanagan campus)
Tel: 250-807-8755
Cell: 250-870-6928
Email: david.scott@ubc.ca

• Effects of fire on soils, water and ecosystems
• Rehabilitation measures to prevent flood/erosion damage after wildfires