Technician

Born: Crowsnest Pass, Alberta

Education:
BSc. Environmental and Conservation Science, University of Alberta
MSc. Forestry, University of Toronto (in progress)

Experience:
My fire career began in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta counting sticks for seemingly endless fuel loading surveys with the Wildland Fire Operations Research Group.  Eventually, my superb tallying skills paid off and I was invited to the former International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment site to partake in a few community protection experimental burns.  My first experience with the Terra Torch and a fully raging crown fire had me hooked, and I went on to work four more seasons as a fire research technician in both hemispheres.  Multiple research projects have taken me to the hot and dusty mallee scrub and heathlands of South Australia, to the explosive gorse patches of the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand and stumbling up the steep slopes of interior British Columbia.  I chased summer for five seasons in a row, walking in the shadows of prominent fire scientists and working with organizations such as FPInnovations' Wildland Fire Operation Research Group, Ensis Bushfire Research and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization.  In a technical role, I was able to partake in multiple research areas, including aviation, fuel management, community protection, detection and equipment evaluation and design.  Not only did I learn how to install in-fire video, ROS loggers and other fire gadgets, I also identified with the strong community amongst fire practitioners.  I am now working with FPInnovations and the University of Toronto to complete a Masters in Forestry investigating solar radiation driven differences in the fine fuel moisture content of north and south-facing slopes.

E-mail: Kelsy Gibos

Solar Radiation Driven Differences in Fine Fuel Moisture Content on North and South Slopes Project Update July 2008 8/18/2008

Solar radiation driven differences in fine fuel moisture content on north and south slopes project page 5/12/2008

Kelsy Gibos 5/5/2008

Protecting Wildland Firefighters from Smoke Exposure: A Review of the Literature 9/11/2007

Wildland Fire Detection Workshop – Discussion Notes 8/14/2006

Conference Discusses Future Research Opportunities Surrounding Post-Wildfire Watershed Rehabilitation 8/3/2005

Curtis Dyna-Fog 1200 Eases Frustrations of Smoke Generation 6/10/2005