Idaho wildfire experts available for interviews

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho experts are available to speak to the media on multiple topics related to wildfires, including policy, ecology, smoke, firefighter health and safety, community preparedness, climate impacts and more.

Media members may reach out directly to the experts, whose contact information is listed below. Media members who are searching for an interview in an expertise area not listed may request assistance from Danae Lenz at dlenz@uidaho.edu.

• State and federal fire policy analysis and evaluation, economics of wildfire and landowner programs: Dennis Becker, dean of the College of Natural Resources and professor of natural resource policy, 208-885-8981, drbecker@uidaho.edu
• Firefighter health and safety, sleep, fatigue and body composition changes on the fire line: Randall Brooks, professor of forestry and Extension forestry specialist, 208-885-6536, rbrooks@uidaho.edu
• Forest ecology, ecosystem restoration, riparian ecology, management and restoration, wildland fire and undergraduate education: Charles Goebel, professor of forest ecosystem restoration and ecology and head of the Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, 208-885-7311, cgoebel@uidaho.edu
• Forest fire ecology, climate change, drought, floods, wildfires, insect outbreaks and dendrochronology (tree-ring science): Grant Harley, associate professor in the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences, 208-885-0950, gharley@uidaho.edu
• Forest and fuels management, treatment costs, prescribed fire use and wildland firefighter safety: Robert Keefe, associate professor and director of the U of I Experimental Forest, 208-310-0269, robk@uidaho.edu
• Fire ecology, fire and fuels management, prescribed burning, smoke and fire microbiology (pyroaerobiology) and human health impacts: Leda Kobziar, professor of wildland fire science and director of Master of Natural Resources, 208-885-0118, lkobziar@uidaho.edu
• Fire ecology, fire effects on soil and soil burn severity: Jessica R. Miesel, associate professor in the Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, 802-558-0592, jmiesel@uidaho.edu
• Community wildfire preparedness, social vulnerability, fire-adapted communities and wildfire communication: Travis Paveglio, professor of natural resource sociology and director of the University of Idaho Wildland Fire Center, 509-595-1607, tpaveglio@uidaho.edu
• State and federal fire policy analysis and evaluation, wildfire suppression funding, rural impacts and collaborative forest management: Chelsea Pennick, associate director of the Policy Analysis Group and research assistant professor of natural resources policy and administration, cpmciver@uidaho.edu
• Forest fire ecology, fire behavior and vegetation ignition risk: Alistair Smith, professor and chair of the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences, 208-885-1009, alistair@uidaho.edu
• Rangeland ecology including vegetation and fuels management and post-fire effects: Eva Strand, professor emerita of rangeland ecology and management, 208-596-1528, evas@uidaho.edu

Media contact

Danae Lenz
External communications coordinator
406-672-4600
dlenz@uidaho.edu