British Columbia is increasingly experiencing impactful and complex wildfire seasons. In response, there are urgent calls to implement prescribed and cultural fire as a key solution to this complex challenge. Unfortunately, there has been limited investment in individuals and organizations that can navigate this complexity and work to implement collaborative solutions across physical, cognitive, and social boundaries. In the wildfire context, these boundaries manifest as jurisdictional silos, a lack of respect for certain forms of knowledge, and a disconnect between knowledge and practice. In this seminar, I'll highlight the important role of “boundary spanners” in building trust, relationships, and capacity to enable collaboration. Boundary spanners can play a key role in proactive wildfire management including wildfire response plans and support for prescribed and cultural fire.

Dr. Kira Hoffman is a fire ecologist and former BC wildland firefighter interested in fire behaviour and how fire impacts ecosystems. Kira received her PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Victoria in 2018. Kira is a professional fire practitioner, using multiple methods to understand how present-day forests have been shaped by stewardship techniques such as burning and how ongoing fire suppression has eroded the resiliency of landscapes. A National Geographic Explorer, Trebek Grantee and Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions Research Fellow, Kira’s work spans biophysical and social boundaries,  connecting diverse forms of expertise to better understand fire. Kira lives in northwest BC and is a researcher in The Centre for Wildfire Coexistence at The University of British Columbia and The Bulkley Valley Research Centre. 

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.