Research summary
Canada has experienced increasingly frequent wildfires over the last few decades. As Canada Research Chair in Fire Ecology, Dr. Jill Harvey is studying how both wildfire and drought affect forests in interior British Columbia.
Harvey and her research team are examining historical wildfires and cultural legacies of Indigenous burning as well as how forests are recovering after recent wildfires. To do this, she and her team are using tree rings, forest stand and climate datasets to determine the frequency and severity of past wildfires and identify patterns of post-wildfire forest recovery. Ultimately, their research will help us to better understand how forest and grassland landscapes are changing over time. Their findings will also improve ecological resilience to wildfire and climate change by informing forest and fire management practices.