UBC experts on heat and wildfires

UBC experts are available to comment on heat, wildfires and associated issues.

UBC experts are available to comment on heat, wildfires and associated issues.

Heat wave

Dr. Sally Aitken
Professor, Faculty of Forestry
Email: sally.aitken@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Effects of drought and heat on trees and plants

Dr. Christopher Harley
Professor, Faculty of Science
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries
Email: harley@zoology.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Impact on seashore creatures and marine animals

Dr. John Richardson
Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Email: john.richardson@ubc.ca
Tel: 604-822-6586
Interview language(s): English

  • Freshwater ecosystems, forest ecosystems, animals, biology (as well as water supply)

Dr. Stephen Sheppard
Professor, Department of Forest Resources Management
Email: stephen.sheppard@ubc.ca
Tel: 778-997-7292
Interview language(s): English

Dr. Rachel White
Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Email: rwhite@eoas.ubc.ca
Tel: 604-230-3504
Interview language(s): English

  • Climate change, atmospheric circulation and heat waves

* Available starting Aug. 3

Wildfires

Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais
Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences
Email: Mathieu.Bourbonnais@ubc.ca
Cell: 778-583-0272
Interview language(s): English, written French

  • Wildfire risk and fire suppression and mitigation
  • Firefighting and use of satellites for wildfire detection and monitoring

Dr. Juli Carrillo
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Email: juli.carrillo@ubc.ca

Dr. Simone Castellarin
Associate Director, UBC Wine Research Centre and
Canada Research Chair in Viticulture and Plant Genomics
Email: simone.castellarin@ubc.ca

  • How smoke and other environmental factors impact grapevine physiology

Dr. Lori Daniels
Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Email: lori.daniels@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

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

Dr. Simon Donner
Professor, Department of Geography
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries
Email: simon.donner@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Climate change in relation to wildfires and extreme events

Dr. Kira Hoffman
NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Forestry and
Bulkley Valley Research Centre
Email: kira.hoffman@bvcentre.ca
Tel: 250-876-8440
Interview language(s): English

  • Fire behaviour, pyrodiversity and Indigenous fire stewardship 

Dr. John Innes
Professor, Faculty of Forestry
Email: john.innes@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Impact of drought on forests
  • Adaptation of forests to climate change
  • Wildfires impact on lumber prices

Dr. Ryan Reynolds
Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Community and Regional Planning
Email: ryan.reynolds@ubc.ca
Tel: 604-396-2979
Interview language(s): English

  • Household preparedness/resilience and evacuations

Christopher Rodell
Member, Weather Forecast Research Team
Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Email: bluesky@eoas.ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

Dr. David Scott
Associate Professor, Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences
Email: david.scott@ubc.ca
Tel: 778-583-6773
Interview language(s): English

  • Wildfire risk and wildfire risk reduction
  • Wildfire effects on soils, hydrology of watersheds and erosion

Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich
Associate Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Email: e.wolkovich@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Impacts of wildfires on the winegrowing regions of the US and Canadian west

* Not available July 31-Aug.1

Dr. Wesley Zandberg
Assistant Professor, Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Chemistry
Email: wesley.zandberg@ubc.ca
Tel: 250-807-9821
Interview language(s): English

  • Protecting wine grapes from effects of wildfire smoke

* Mornings are preferred

Health impacts

Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Email: jennifer.baumbusch@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Protecting seniors and other vulnerable people from extreme heat

Dr. Michael Brauer
Professor, School of Population and Public Health
Email: michael.brauer@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Air quality and health impacts from smoke
  • How to minimize exposure to smoke
  • Interactions of COVID-19 with air pollution

Dr. Christopher Carlsten
Physician; Professor and Head of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine
Email: christopher.carlsten@ubc.ca
Tel: 604-839-1561
Interview language(s): English

  • Respiratory problems from air quality and smoke and/or heat
  • Wildfire smoke and COVID-19

Dr. Wendy Hall
Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing
Email: wendy.hall@ubc.ca
Interview language(s): English

  • Impact of heat on sleep quality

Dr. Farah Shroff
Associate Member, School of Population and Public Health
UBC Sustainability Fellow
Email: farah.shroff@ubc.ca
Tel: 781-354-5431
Interview language(s): English, French, Spanish

  • Public health issues related to the heat wave and climate justice