UBC experts on heat and wildfires

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