Saint Mary's Currents
Saint Mary's Currents
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Wildfires with Andy Robertson
36 minutes Posted Jul 24, 2025 at 10:00 am.
Introduction of Topic and Guest Speaker Background
The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
Canada vs. the US: wildfire causes and mitigation strategies
Government involvement in public vs. private land
Impact of geospatial technology on wildfire mitigation strategies
Climate change and wildfires: long term preparation strategies for government
AD: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Environmental impacts of wildfires on landscape regeneration
Reducing the risk of accidental fires
Rescinding the 2001 roadless area conservation rule
The upside: Increased awareness
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Show notes

Wildfires seem to be everywhere. Earlier this year, the fires in Los Angeles caused billions of dollars in property damage and displaced over 100,000 people. In June, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, there were active fires in 11 U.S. states and in virtually every province in Canada. Minnesota had three wildfires which burned nearly 20,000 acres of northeastern Minnesota in May, according to MPR. So, what factors are contributing to the frequency and intensity of wildfires that we are seeing? How can wildfires be better prevented or controlled, and what are the long term impacts on communities and ecosystems?