CCST Seeking Wildfire Experts for Peer Review — Nominations Due Aug. 18th

Following our earlier call for expertise regarding the CCST study now underway on costs and losses related to wildfires in California, CCST is currently seeking experts to evaluate the report, which characterizes the economic costs and losses that could be considered in a comprehensive accounting of wildfire economic impacts on the state of California.

CCST is seeking nominations of individuals by August 18th with the following expertise:

Key Topic Area 1: General Background on California Wildfires

• History of California wildfires: incidence and management strategies
• Trends in wildfire activity
• Projections of future wildfire activity, for instance as a result of climate change

Key Topic Area 2: Fire events: Prevention and Mitigation

• Fire Prevention – activities and economic aspects
• Fuels management – activities and economic aspects
• Fire suppression – activities and economic aspects
• Land use in relation to wildfire activity
• Education programs in relation to reducing wildfire activity or impact

Key Topic Area 3: Wildfire impact on buildings and infrastructure

• Building losses and costs to protect against building loss
• Power/Utility/Telecomm infrastructure losses and costs to protect
• Transportation infrastructure losses from wildfire and costs and programs to protect
• Strategies to protect against losses of transportation, power/utility/telecom infrastructure
• Strategies to protect against building losses

Key Topic Area 4: Wildfire Impacts on Public Health

• Wildfire direct public health impacts and costs thereof
• Strategies to protect against public health impacts of wildfires directly (flames), and costs thereof
• Wildfire smoke public health impacts and costs thereof
• Strategies to protect against public health impacts of wildfire smoke, and costs thereof
• Other indirect public health impacts (and costs thereof), including from post-wildfire drinking water impacts, landslides and flooding, or evacuation activities
• Mental health impacts of wildfires, wildfire smoke, and/or evacuation activities, and costs thereof
• Health impacts of wildfires on fire and emergency responders

Key Topic Area 5: Ecosystem Process Impacts from Wildfire

• Watershed-based impacts and associated costs
• Carbon sequestration impacts and associated costs
• Other ecosystem service impacts from wildfire and associated costs

Key Topic Area 6: Other Economic/Market Impacts from Wildfire

• Sectoral impacts and costs from wildfire – electric power, recreation/tourism, working lands, construction, supply chain
• Economy-wide impacts and costs from wildfire – labor market, economic growth, household well-being
• Housing market impacts and costs from wildfire
• Fiscal impacts and costs from wildfire

The report will provide a review of relevant literature on the economic costs and losses of wildfires and a discussion of existing research gaps and the availability of relevant datasets. While the report does not aim to calculate a specific dollar amount to summarize costs and losses, this information will help establish a framework for accounting for costs and losses due to wildfire for the State of California, to inform decision makers about what data are available for informing current decisions and what needs exist to answer outstanding policy-relevant questions.

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Honorarium: For those who are eligible, we will provide a $250-500 honorarium (depending on scope of review) for individuals selected as reviewers. No travel is expected.

Please let us know if you would be interested in assisting with this evaluation and can complete your efforts in the timeline allowed.

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Timeline and Effort

The report will be transmitted via a Dropbox link. Reviewers will be asked to evaluate the sections relevant to their expertise. Upon completion of the study, reviewers will be named and acknowledged, but not attributed to specific comments.

• August 31, 2020: The report and executive summary will be completed and transmitted to reviewers
• August 31, 2020 until September 15, 2020: Reviewers conduct review and report back written comments

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By August 18, 2020, please send names, affiliations, relevant areas of expertise (see bullets above) and contact information for individuals qualified to serve in support of this study. Self-nominations are welcome. Send all nominations to Brie Lindsey at [email protected].

This report has been requested and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and is conducted by CCST. The mission of CCST is to bring together leading experts in science and technology to inform policymakers and programs to ensure California’s continued leadership in science, technology, innovation, and science education. Modeled in part after the National Research Council, CCST is often asked to produce technical reports on issues of significant importance. An important part of a project process is peer review.

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About the California Council on Science and Technology
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature — making California’s policies stronger with science since 1988. We engage leading experts in science and technology to advise State decision makers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation.