wildfires

Photo courtesy of Grand Teton National Park

They’re cute. They’re furry. And they’re the unsung heroes of wildfire protection efforts.

Research shows that healthy streams promote aquatic life and nurture surrounding lands. The research of Benjamin Dittbrenner, an associate professor in the Marine and Environmental Sciences department, provides clues to how beaver ecosystems and wetlands fit into that equation—and contribute to wildfire protection and recovery.

by Khalida Sarwari October 5, 2020

Smoke from wildfires in California and Oregon is expected to descend on Seattle, Washington, over Thursday night, triggering significant health concerns. AP Photo by Noah Berger

West Coast wildfires lead to closure of Seattle campus

Online learning continues but campus is closed until further notice. Air quality conditions are expected to reach unhealthy levels Thursday night into Friday, says Dave Thurman, the regional chief executive officer and dean of Northeastern’s Seattle campus.

by Peter Ramjug September 11, 2020

The Kolyma River in eastern Siberia was sampled for a global study of black carbon in rivers and oceans by a team of researchers that included Aron Stubbins, an associate professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern. Photo courtesy of Aron Stubbins

The deep ocean is not on fire. So what’s all that soot doing in there?

Until recently, scientists thought rivers moved black carbon from soil to the ocean. But new research by a team that included Aron Stubbins, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern, overturns this long-established idea.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa November 27, 2019

3Qs: What sparked the Tennessee wildfires?

Wildfires raged recently through the foothills of Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, damaging more than 1,400 structures and killing 14 people. Last week, two juveniles were charged with aggravated arson in connection with them. Northeastern's Auroop Ganguly, an expert on climate extremes, notes that the "chain of causality" in such events is complex, with human activity significant but other factors, including climate change, also playing a role.

by Thea Singer December 12, 2016

As Canada wildfires rage, faculty experts examine the ramifications

Wildfires continue to rage for a third week in and around the city of Fort McMurray in Canada's Alberta province, the country’s oil-sands capital. Some 96,000 people have been evacuated from the area and 2,400 buildings have been destroyed. We spoke with three Northeastern experts who share insight into how the catastrophe will affect climate change, the likely impact on U.S. consumers, and how the Fort McMurray community can recover.

by Thea Singer May 18, 2016

Before and after disaster

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University For their senior capstone project, four mechanical engineering students—Brian Bernstein, Jonathan Brown, Dale Jordan, and Max Sobel, all…

by Greg St. Martin April 7, 2016