Laurier expert alert: Canadian wildfires

June 19, 2025
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO — Wildfires continue to blaze in northern Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia and the Canadian Prairies, with smoke spreading much further. Laurier has assembled a list of experts whose research includes wildfires, the effects of air pollution, food security, environmental economics and policy, climate geopolitics and ethics, and “zombie fires” (also known as overwintering fires).   

The following list includes Laurier experts who are available to speak at this time but does not represent the full breadth of expertise that exists at the institution. For a comprehensive inventory of Laurier’s faculty researchers, consult the Experts at Laurier database.

• Jennifer Baltzer — Wildfires, climate change, forest ecology, zombie fires.
  
  
• Alison Blay-Palmer — Sustainability and climate change, food security, environment.
  
  
• Nikolai Cook — Environmental economics, effects of climate change and pollution on economic productivity.
  
  
• Simon Dalby — Climate crisis, climate geopolitics, representations of climate change in the media, environmental security.
  
  
• Christopher Lemieux — Environmental policy, Canadian identity and nature, sustainability and conservation.
  
  
• Manuel Riemer — Community psychology, psychology of sustainability, environmental activism.
  
  
• Ketan Shankardass — Effects of air pollution, environmental health, public health.
  
  
• Debora VanNijnatten — Climate change politics, Canadian and North American climate policy, climate ready communities.
  
  
• Byron Williston — Canadian environmental policy, ethics of climate change and sustainability, planetary health, human well-being.