Thousands on evacuation alert as wildfires continue in B.C. - SFU experts available

As summer continues, thousands of people in British Columbia are on evacuation alert due to wildfires threatening their communities. 



Experts from Simon Fraser University are available to discuss various impacts of wildfires and summer conditions, including correlations to extreme weather and climate change, impacts on the water cycle, government planning and response to extreme heat, health and more.

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERTS

JOHN CLAGUE, professor emeritus, Earth sciences, CRC Chair in Natural Hazard Science  
jclague@sfu.ca  
Expertise: The link between extreme weather events and climate change, natural disasters.

BRENT WARD, professor, Earth sciences, co-director, Centre for Natural Hazards Research  
604.771.5829 | bcward@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Climate change and how we are seeing an increase of heat waves in B.C., potential wildfire issues.

STEPHANIE CLELAND, assistant professor, health sciences  
stephanie_cleland@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Health effects of heat and wildfire smoke and what people can do to mitigate exposure.

ANNE-MARIE NICOL, associate professor of professional practice, health sciences  
anicol@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Heat and wildfire smoke exposure. Running workshops across B.C. this summer to help seniors and renters mitigate risks with DIY air cleaners (see media release).

YOLANDA CLATWORTHY, assistant director, Mitigating Wildfire, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue  
yolanda_clatworthy@sfu.ca  
Expertise: The need for mitigation of wildfires, whole of society approaches and potential policy directions.

JAMES WHITEHEAD, engagement analyst, Mitigating Wildfire, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue  
james_whitehead@sfu.ca  
Expertise: The need for mitigation of wildfires, whole of society approaches and potential policy directions, evacuation reluctance and the impact of wildfire on rural communities in B.C., experiences as a former wildland firefighter in B.C.

ZAFAR ADEEL, professor of professional practice, School of Sustainable Energy Engineering
zadeel@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Water security, climate change adaptation, safe drinking water, water-energy-food nexus, integrated water resources management, water-health nexus, desertification, flooding and the economic impacts.

ANDREANNE DOYON, assistant professor, resource and environmental management  
andreanne.doyon@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Planning for/responding to extreme heat (from urban greenery to building retrofits). Planning for climate change at the city level, housing and related topics.

TIM TAKARO, professor emeritus, health sciences  
ttakaro@sfu.ca
Expertise: Planetary health, heat and physiology and the link between oil and gas industry, increasing emissions and heat waves. Greenwashing and advertisements standards.

CONTACT

MATT KIELTYKA, SFU Communications & Marketing 
236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University
Communications & Marketing |  SFU Media Experts Directory
778.782.3210

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