Wildfire burn scars

The Storymap

Sparkgeo released a storymap that linked the 2021 Abbotsford (British Columbia, Canada) flood event with the wildfires that hit the province earlier that year. Your host, Letty, had an opportunity to speak with two members of the research team that released the storymap.

This conversation was scheduled in April 2022 (soon after the release of the storymap), recorded on May 13, and published on June 02, 2022.

Timestamps

• [00:00] Letty introducing our guests and the topic of discussion.
• [04:00] Questions Letty asked them about the wildfires and the flood event.
• [08:04] Natalia’s background in fluvial geomorphology and the significance of burn scars.
• [12:04] The use of satellite imagery, Canada’s upcoming wildfire monitoring satellite system (WildFireSat), and the research implications for first responders and insurance companies.
• [15:20] How do the underlying datasets impact such research efforts and the need for data preparation/validation.
• [22:50] What was the public reaction after the release of the wildfire and flood damage storymap. Sparkgeo’s effort toward science communication that is easy to grasp and apply by people who need this information to better prepare for such emergencies.
• [25:30] What other research efforts are brewing at Sparkgeo (cloud-native vector formats and coral reef research).
• [27:00] A key message from our guests and potential micro contributions toward Earth stewardship.
• [32:00] Self-education about our changing planet.

Top of Mind

• Wildfires and flood damage with Gordon Logie
• Trends in wildfire burn severity across Canada, 1985 to 2015
• Echolocation call structure and intensity in five species of insectivorous bats
• The right to burn: barriers and opportunities for Indigenous-led fire stewardship in Canada

Cover Image

Taken by Letty when she followed an organization called Snowchange Cooperative for a few days to learn about their rewilding efforts in Finland.