University researchers are reshaping Canada’s wildfire response with new tools and expertise. At the University of Toronto, Adjunct Professor Dr Mike Wotton is helping update the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, while Professor Emeritus Dr David Martell, a pioneer in wildfire modelling, has mentored many of today’s leaders in the field. At the University of Alberta, Dr Jen Beverly and doctoral candidate Air Forbes have developed fireexposuR, an open-source mapping tool that helps municipalities and Indigenous communities plan wildfire defences. These efforts have and continue to support a growing network of wildfire specialists across Canada.
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