Christopher Dunn is an Assistant Professor of Wildfire Risk Science in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. Prior to his academic career, he was a wildland firefighter with duties that included applying more fire in fire prone systems, suppressing fires where needed, and implementing mitigation actions across the western U.S. His initial research program focused on forest and fire ecology across ecoregions of Oregon.
Today, much of Dunn’ research is conducted with a team of scientists in the Human Dimensions Program at Rocky Mountain Research Station. Through applied research he leverages his fire management experience and research training to bridge the gap between wildfire science, management, and policy to better prepare land managers, fire managers and communities for the changing fire environment. Through wildfire risk science he can focus on interdisciplinary challenges with teams that recognize wildland fires impact broad sectors of society and values, with potentially positive and negative outcomes. The importance of wildfire communication became clear to Dunn when he led a science team at Oregon State University to develop a wildfire hazard map in support of legislation partially focused on community adaptation. This effort failed and the rollout process and lack of effective communication have been identified as the driving factors which are not incorporated more rigorously as this efforts continues to move forward.