Media tip sheet: CSU offers expertise on historic fires in Australia

Contact for reporters:
Jennifer Dimas
(970) 491-1543
jennifer.dimas@colostate.edu

Millions of acres of Australia have burned in the past several months in one of the country’s worst fire seasons on record. As the wildfire season continues on the continent, CSU is providing the following list of experts who can address a variety of information about the economic impact of the fires, effects on wildlife, ecological recovery, fire behavior and management, and health impacts.

Edward Barbier, professor of economics
Barbier is one of the world’s leading environmental and resource economists and can discuss how the fires in Australia could affect the continent.

Camille Stevens-Rumann, assistant professor of forest and rangeland stewardship
Stevens-Rumann can discuss post-disturbance recovery, understanding species and ecosystem responses to disturbances and improving future ecosystem management.

Linda Nagel, professor and head of the department of forest and rangeland stewardship
Nagel can discuss the ecological recovery of plant communities following a wildfire and climate-adapted forest species management.

Mark Paschke, professor of restoration ecology in the department of forest and rangeland stewardship
Paschke can discuss post-fire restoration ecology and revegetation.

Chad Hoffman, associate professor of wildland fire science
Hoffman can discuss fire behavior, fuels management, wildfire hazard and risk reduction, forest restoration, disturbance ecology and disturbance interactions.

Monique Rocca, associate professor of ecosystem science and sustainability
Rocca can discuss is wildland fire ecology and management, climate change impacts on ecosystems.

John Volckens, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Center for Energy Development and Health
Air pollution sources, emissions, and health effects from smoke, particulate matter and combustion byproducts; occupational and environmental exposure and risk assessment

Jeffrey Collett, professor and department head of atmospheric science
Collett can discuss atmospheric pollutants and their impacts, air emissions and impacts from wildfires.

Jeff Pierce, associate professor of atmospheric science
Pierce can discuss atmospheric particles, gases and their interaction with human health, clouds and climate