04: From Fighting Fire to Living With It - Dr. Kira Hoffman

From wildland firefighting to wildfire research, Dr. Kira Hoffman has spent her career understanding our relationship with fire.

On this episode of The Root of It, host and Dean of UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship Rob Kozak speaks with Kira, a renowned Canadian wildfire ecologist at UBC's Centre of Wildfire Coexistence and 2026 National Geographic 33 Honouree, about her journey from growing up in Smithers, B.C., to studying wildfire behaviour.

Kira explores how fire shapes our forests, what happens when it’s kept off the landscape, and how Indigenous-led fire stewardship informs the way we manage wildfire today. She also reflects on recent wildfire seasons in B.C., the influence of climate change and what emerging weather patterns could mean for the summers ahead.

From understanding the ecological benefits of fire to preparing for an uncertain future, this conversation explores how we can rethink our relationship with fire and learn how to live with it.