The 2025 Wildfire Season
Members of the media may directly contact the following experts on this topic:
Konrad Gajewski (English and French)
Full Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts
[email protected]
Professor Gajewski's research focuses on climate change and the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, especially northern Canada.
"This summer is neither a strong El Nino or La Nina, meaning it is difficult to estimate where we might expect to have large regions of relatively dry or wet conditions. Fires need dry conditions and fuel, in addition something to start it, and mostly they are human caused. With climate change and warmer conditions, we would get more variability between dry and wet conditions, and also more storms which could act as ignition sources.
"The increased disturbance (including windstorms, tornados, hurricanes) means more broken trees and branches which would be fuel for fires in subsequent years. Frequently after hurricanes, there are more fires, for example. And encroachment onto forested areas by development can lead to more potential fires. Finally, fires are a natural part of the dynamics of some ecosystems (boreal forest and prairie, for example), so cannot be avoided although their frequency is increasing."
Julie Lee-Yaw (English and French)
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Canada Research Chair in Global Change Ecology
[email protected]
Professor Lee-Yaw can discuss the impact of the wildfires on animal habitat.
Ryan Katz-Rosene (English only)
Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, and the Institute of Environment, Faculty of Social Sciences.
[email protected]
Professor Katz-Rosene’s research focuses on climate change governance and sustainability policy debates. He can discuss the political discussion of how wildfires and wildfire evacuations in Canada are framed in relation to climate change, including how political leaders who frame the wildfires as being unrelated to climate change.
Andrea Ashbaugh (English only)
Full Professor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences
[email protected]
Professor Ashbaugh can comment on the risk of trauma the fires could generate.
"This is a stressful event for many people, and those who are in direct proximity to the fires are probably at greatest risk for mental health difficulties. For most people the symptoms likely will resolve with time, about 210% may go on to develop PTSD like symptoms. Social support is important for those affected."
Sarah E. Sharma (English only)
Assistant Professor, School of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences
[email protected]
Professor Sharma's research interests include environmental governance and urban environmental politics. She can offer analysis of:
- Priorities of new government's in tackling of wildfires.
- The economic impact of wildfires.
Nicholas Rivers (English only)
Associate Professor, School of Public and International Affairs and member of the Institute of the Environment.
[email protected]
Professor Rivers’ research interests include air pollution, climate change and the economic evaluation of environmental policies. He can also discuss air quality issues, including his research on clean air and cognitive productivity.