Research
I study fire and its interactions with climate, weather, vegetation, and land-use changes. I'm interested in where, when and why fires occur -- in the western U.S., in eastern North America, on other continents, and at the global scale. Fire fascinates me because it interacts with so many other things, including weather and climate changes, vegetation, topography, landscape structure, and human activities such as logging, grazing, agriculture, and other land-use changes. Fire affects individuals and communities, ecosystems, land surfaces, and the atmosphere. Fire also shows large variations across both space and time. I take a long-term view of fire and am particularly interested in what happens to fire patterns when there are very large, broad-scale changes, such as during abrupt climate changes or rapid shifts in land-use.
Most of my research relies on meta-analyses of paleoenvironmental data, but I also use field, historical, satellite, archaeological, and other data to study human-enviroment interactions more generally (e.g., changes in forest composition, erosion). I enjoy research collaborations with scientists around the world, including the U.K., France, Italy, Germany, China, and Australia. I am always interested in developing new projects and am happy to share data and tools that I have developed and used in my research. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to learn more about my work.
News Highlights of My Research
Dot Earth - August 29, 2013
The Yosemite Inferno in the Context of Forest Policy, Ecology and Climate Change
The Why? Files - July 11, 2013
Wildlands afire: What role for climate change?
USA Today - July 9, 2013
Water worries: Climate change in the desert Southwest
The Washington Post - July 16, 2012
The worst wildfire season in decades is causing significant environmental damage
Wired Science - July 6, 2012
How Fire Could Change the Face of the West
Scientific American - June 29, 2012
Fire Deficit May Trigger Fiercer Wildfires
Press Release - University of Oregon - February 14, 2012
A look back suggests a sobering future of wildfire dangers in US west
Nature Geoscience - September 21, 2008
The burning issue
Nature News - 12 October 2009
North America comet theory questioned
Science Daily - 27 January 2009
12,900 Years Ago: North American Comet Impact Theory Disproved