Nerd Nite on Fire: Peatland, Health, Land Stewardship, and After the Flames

Is it just us, or does everything feel like it's on metaphorical and actual fire? In the words of that famous dog sipping coffee in a room filled with flames, we're here to tell you that "This is(n't) fine" but we've got a fun filled night to get your mind off those metaphorical flames and onto some actual ones. This week Nerd Nite presents a special "Nerd Nite on Fire" in collaboration with Simon Fraser University where we're talking about wildfires, their impacts on health and the planet, and the ways communities are addressing them.

This month we're donating to the Wildfire Recovery Fund, you can add on to your ticket to support!

Brendan Murphy: After the Flames

The impacts from wildfires in BC (as well as the rest of western North America) have become inescapable – amplified by climate change, fires are larger, more severe, and more frequent than any time in the previous century. However, the risks are far from over after the flames are out. In addition to consuming forests, severe wildfires will also burn the underlying soil, creating water repellent conditions that can persist for many years and cause increases in runoff and erosion. Further compounding the issue are increasingly extreme weather events. As a result, we are seeing an increase in both the frequency and magnitude of post-fire natural hazards, specifically debris flows – dense slurries of water and mud, capable of carrying boulders the size of cars, that can occur with little to no warning and will destroy virtually anything in their path. While only a few dozen post-fire debris flows had been documented in BC prior to 2015, there have been nearly 1,000 in the past decade alone. These post-fire natural hazards leave communities, already beleaguered and vulnerable after wildfire, exposed to ongoing risks to life and property and have, in some cases, caused more destruction and loss of life than the initial wildfire. Join Dr. Brendan Murphy as he talks about his research documenting these phenomena, the burn conditions and storms that trigger them, and his efforts to improve our ability to predict and mitigate the risks posed by post-fire natural hazards.

Bio: Brendan Murphy is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Science at Simon Fraser University whose interdisciplinary wildfire-related research incorporates hydrology, geomorphology, and ecology. His work focuses on the aftereffects of wildfires, with the overarching goal of improving predictions of cascading natural hazards that can occur after wildfires (flooding and debris flows), as well as advancing our abilities to assess and ideally mitigate these risks before fires ever occur. He runs active research projects across western Canada and the US, including BC, California, Utah, and Colorado. When he actually gets free time between research and teaching, he enjoys photography, pottery, and playing tennis.

Stephanie Cleland: The Health Risks of Wildfire Smoke in a Changing Climate

Most of us are familiar with the hazy, orange skies and the burning sensation in our eyes and throats caused by wildfire smoke. Climate change, in combination with the expanding wildland-urban interface, is increasing many communities’ exposure to wildfire smoke. But what does this increasing exposure mean for our health, and how can we prepare? Environmental health scientist Stephanie Cleland will cover what we currently know about the health effects of wildfire smoke and the unanswered questions that scientists are tackling. She will also highlight strategies for mitigating exposure and building smoke resilient communities in the face of the ongoing climate crisis.

Bio: Dr. Stephanie Cleland is an Assistant Professor and the Legacy for Airway Health Chair in Promotion of Lung Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. She is also a Research Scientist at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. Her research uses large datasets to understand how climate change-related environmental hazards, such as wildfire smoke and extreme heat, adversely impact human health, with an emphasis on increasing community resilience to climate change. She has a strong interest in science and public health communication, environmental health justice, and increasing the accessibility of scientific research.

Sophie Wilkinson: Peatlands, People, and Wildfire: A Triple Threat for the Climate

The Earth’s carbon stores are vital for the regulation of the climate. Peatlands are the world’s densest carbon stocks, however, the carbon they’ve locked up over millennia is at risk of being released. We’ve been degrading peatlands for decades, and now climate-fuelled wildfires are taking a bite too. In this talk, Dr. Wilkinson will explain how peatlands are becoming more vulnerable to fire and what this means for the carbon they store and our future climate. She’ll also discuss the wonderful ways that science is coming to the rescue for these important ecosystems.

Bio: Dr. Sophie Wilkinson is an Assistant Professor of Applied Terrestrial Ecology in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University. She is the lead of the Fire and Ecosystems Research Lab and has 10 years of experience working at the intersection of peatland ecohydrology and wildfire science. Sophie’s research focuses on understanding patterns of wildfire and identifying environmental tipping points to high-severity fire. Sophie applies her work to address critical wildfire management challenges such as reducing fire risk in the wildland-urban interface and developing improved policies for resource management.

Lyana Patrick: Fighting Fire with Fire: First Nations Community-Led Approaches to Health During Ecological Crises

In 2018, wildfire in British Columbia’s north interior burned over 183,000 km2 of Stellat’en First Nation territory. In the aftermath of these fires the community proactively sought to develop a collaborative and holistic ecosystem restoration plan that reflects Stellat’en social, cultural, political and economic values. Community-led response strategies have proven to be effective in mitigating the impacts of climate events like extreme wildfires and drought. First Nations communities recognize that a crucial component of future emergency preparedness is ensuring the health and resiliency of ancestral territories. Ensuring long-term resilience requires support for community-led responses, including education, housing, employment, and capacity building.

Bio: Dr. Lyana Patrick is Dakelh from the Stellat’en First Nation and Acadian/Scottish. She is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences where her work focuses on the intersection of Indigenous health, justice and community-led responses to public health and climate crises. She incorporates film and other multimedia in her work and is committed to public scholarship as a creative and collaborative process of exploration with Indigenous communities.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main Street, Vancouver, Canada