Photo by Izzy E on Unsplash

As forest fires ignited across the country from Northern Ontario to British Columbia, expert foresters at Daniels have expressed their concerns to multiple news outlets.

Professor Emeritus David Martell spoke with KamloopsBCNow and said Canada cannot realistically manage the vast boreal forest, which spans hundreds of millions of hectares, amid growing wildfire challenges. He previously spoke with CTV News and emphasized that Canada knows how to manage its forests and wildfires despite challenges posed by climate change and remote fire locations. Martell's research enhanced understanding of fire management processes, fire detection and initial attack operations, strategic fire management planning and the impact of fire on forest management.

At Global News, Assistant Professor Danijela Puric-Mladenovic joined Martell in commenting on the challenges of managing Canada’s boreal forests and the natural regenerative role that fire plays in forest ecosystems. 

At CTV News, Assistant Professor Mike Wotton added that there is “no real basis in fact” to claims that Canada is mismanaging its forests and wildfires, attributing the fires to warmer weather conditions. Dr. Wotton is a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service stationed at U of T. His current research focus involves developing process-based models of fuel moisture exchange, fire ignition and spread that can be applied by fire management agencies throughout Canada. This work, in part, involves development of models for the Canadian Forest Service’s Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS), a system used operationally throughout Canada and a growing number of countries around the world.

Regarding the complex situation developing between the U.S. and Canada because of cross-border forest fire smoke, Associate Professor Patrick James appeared on BBC News and stated that wildfire smoke doesn’t respect borders, as fires in Canada pushed cities including Toronto, New York and Washington to the top of global pollution rankings. He also spoke with CBC News stating how climate-driven warming is intensifying forest fires and smoke across Canada.

Media mentions compiled by BAAS student Sofia Diaz Aguilar.