Catastrophic wildfire events have been increasing in frequency and impact and are projected to get worse. While fire is part of a forest’s natural cycle and can help restore balance in the ecosystem, it becomes a hazard when it threatens human life and property. Professor Rein discussed the effect of climate change on the prevalence of wildfires and outlined a framework for protecting people and homes by combining science and engineering.
Speaker
Guillermo Rein is Professor of Fire Science in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Fire Technology. He leads the research group Imperial Hazelab, whose work on heat transfer and fire uses experiments and computer models, including how wildfires spread and how to fight them. His awards include the 2020 Research Excellence Award from the Combustion Institute and the 2018 SFPE Guise Medal.