#53 The Science Behind the Flames: Mike Wotton on Canada’s Fire Danger System

In this week’s episode we are speaking with Dr. Mike Wotton, a Research Scientist with the Canadian Forest Service. He is currently stationed at the University of Toronto's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design under the Institute of Forestry and Conservation. Dr. Wotton's research focuses on developing process-based models of fuel-moisture exchange, fire ignition, and fire spread. His research also involves developing the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, which is used throughout Canada and in a growing number of countries globally. We spoke with Mike about his early work at the Petawawa National Forestry Institute and the Great Lakes Forest Centre before completing his PhD in Forestry at U of T. We then shifted to unpacking the fundamentals of wildfire dynamics and how these fundamentals inform the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System. We asked Mike about whether there has been an increase in the frequency or magnitude of wildfires in Canada and globally under global warming and what communities and property owners can do to reduce their wildfire risk. This episode was recorded last year, so there may be references to the upcoming 2025 wildfire season. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Mike Wotton!https://firesmartcanada.ca/