Professor John Handmer, Ph.D., joined San Diego experts on a field trip on Thursday, October 20 to review four canyon-urban interface sites that sustained losses in the October 2003 wildfires or have high risks of future property losses.   Dr. Handmer is Professor and Director of Center for Risk and Community Safety at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.  He conducts research on, “Bushfire Economic Costs,” which assesses bushfire (wildfire) loss assessment, including arson, carbon accounting, mega-events, and intangible losses such as memorabilia, health effects and environmental damage.   Further information at www.bushfirecrc.com .  Field trip stops were at Mt. Soledad with City of San Diego Fire and Rescue wildfire specialists, Rancho Santa Fe with fire marshal and urban forestry personnel, Scripps Ranch with FireSafe Council leaders and City of San Diego Open Space experts, and Talmadge Canyon with a homeowner. 

Agenda