CFPs: Enhancing Resilience to Wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface (Canada)

Deadline: 30-Jul-2026

The Enhancing Resilience to Wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface initiative supports international research collaborations focused on reducing wildfire risks in areas where human settlements interact with natural landscapes.

The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) refers to regions where homes, communities, infrastructure, and human activities are located near or within forests, grasslands, shrublands, and other fire-prone environments.

The initiative aims to improve scientific understanding of wildfire behaviour while creating solutions that help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire events.

The program encourages research that combines multiple disciplines, including:

• Natural sciences
• Engineering
• Environmental systems
• Health sciences
• Social sciences
• Humanities
• Indigenous knowledge systems
• Built environment research
• Human and animal systems research

Main Goals of the Wildfire Resilience Research Program

Funded projects must address at least two major research objectives and must include the development of practical wildfire adaptation, mitigation, and recovery solutions.

Key objectives include:

• Strengthening international wildfire research partnerships between Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Improving understanding of wildfire risks in wildland-urban interface regions.
• Studying wildfire occurrence, intensity, behaviour, and spread under current and future climate scenarios.
• Examining environmental, social, cultural, economic, health, and infrastructure impacts of wildfires.
• Developing innovative strategies for wildfire prevention, preparedness, adaptation, mitigation, and recovery.

Why Wildfire Resilience Research Matters

Wildfires are increasing in frequency, intensity, and complexity due to changing climate conditions, land-use changes, and expanding human development near fire-prone landscapes.

Wildland-urban interface communities face unique challenges because they experience combined risks from:

• Extreme wildfire events.
• Smoke exposure and public health impacts.
• Damage to homes, buildings, and critical infrastructure.
• Disruption of local economies.
• Environmental degradation.
• Community displacement.
• Challenges in emergency response and recovery.

Research supported through this initiative can help governments, communities, emergency organizations, and decision-makers develop evidence-based wildfire resilience strategies.

International Partnership and Funding Support

The initiative is supported by major research organizations from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Participating funding agencies include:

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

The initiative builds on international commitments made through the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter, which promotes stronger global cooperation in wildfire prevention, response, and recovery.

Canadian Funding Structure

Canadian research support is provided through NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR.

The expected Canadian investment includes:

• NSERC: $3 million.
• SSHRC: $3 million.
• CIHR: $3 million.
• Total Canadian investment: $9 million.

Each Canadian funding agency expects to support approximately four projects.

Project funding details:

• Duration: Three years.
• Maximum contribution from each Canadian agency: Up to $750,000 over three years.
• Maximum interdisciplinary funding from all three Canadian agencies combined: Up to $2.25 million per project.

Funding availability depends on the participating agencies’ budget approval and program requirements.

Research Areas Supported Under the Initiative

Projects should create practical knowledge and solutions related to wildfire resilience.

Eligible research themes include:

Wildfire Risk Assessment and Prediction

Research may focus on:

• Understanding wildfire causes and patterns.
• Predicting wildfire behaviour.
• Assessing future wildfire scenarios.
• Improving wildfire modelling and forecasting systems.
• Studying climate change impacts on wildfire risks.

Wildfire Adaptation and Mitigation Solutions

Projects may develop:

• Community wildfire protection strategies.
• Fire-resistant building approaches.
• Landscape management techniques.
• Emergency planning tools.
• Risk reduction policies.
• Climate adaptation strategies.

Wildfire Impacts on Communities and Health

Research may examine:

• Physical and mental health effects of wildfires.
• Smoke exposure impacts.
• Social inequalities during wildfire events.
• Community resilience.
• Indigenous and local knowledge systems.
• Economic consequences of wildfire disasters.

Recovery and Long-Term Resilience

Projects may explore:

• Post-wildfire recovery methods.
• Ecosystem restoration.
• Community rebuilding approaches.
• Improved disaster management systems.
• Long-term resilience planning.

Who Is Eligible?

The opportunity is open to eligible Canadian university researchers working in areas including:

• Natural sciences.
• Engineering.
• Health disciplines.
• Social sciences.
• Humanities.

Applicants must:

• Hold a primary affiliation with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution.
• Meet the eligibility requirements of NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR.
• Apply individually or as part of a research team.
• Include international collaboration where required.

International Collaboration Requirements

Canadian applicants must collaborate with eligible academic researchers from the United Kingdom.

Required international participation:

• At least one eligible UK academic collaborator must participate.
• The UK collaborator serves as the UK project lead.
• The UK project lead receives funding through UKRI.

US participation:

• Collaboration with US researchers is optional.
• If included, the US project lead must meet NSF eligibility requirements.

Projects are encouraged to build partnerships beyond academia, including:

• Indigenous First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Knowledge Holders.
• Local communities.
• Emergency responders.
• Government agencies.
• Policymakers.
• People with lived wildfire experience.
• Industry and community organizations.

How the Funding Process Works

The initiative supports collaborative projects that combine expertise from different countries and disciplines.

The general process includes:

1. Identify a wildfire resilience research challenge.

Researchers should define a clear problem related to wildfire risks, impacts, adaptation, mitigation, or recovery.

2. Build an international research team.

Applicants should establish partnerships involving:

• Canadian researchers.
• UK academic collaborators.
• Optional US academic collaborators.
• Relevant community and sector partners.

3. Develop an interdisciplinary research plan.

The proposal should integrate multiple perspectives and explain how different disciplines contribute to wildfire resilience solutions.

4. Address required research objectives.

Projects must address at least two program goals and include practical solutions for:

• Wildfire adaptation.
• Wildfire mitigation.
• Wildfire recovery.

5. Prepare the funding application.

Applicants must follow the requirements of the relevant funding agencies:

• NSERC requirements for natural sciences and engineering research.
• SSHRC requirements for social sciences and humanities research.
• CIHR requirements for health research.

6. Submit the proposal through the appropriate funding process.

Applicants must ensure that all team members meet eligibility rules before submission.

What Makes a Strong Proposal?

A strong application should demonstrate:

• Clear wildfire resilience objectives.
• Strong international collaboration.
• Interdisciplinary research methods.
• Meaningful stakeholder engagement.
• Practical solutions with real-world impact.
• Strong connections between research findings and community needs.

Successful projects should show how research outcomes can support:

• Better wildfire decision-making.
• Improved emergency preparedness.
• Safer communities.
• Stronger infrastructure.
• Sustainable recovery after wildfire events.

Common Mistakes and Application Tips

Applicants should avoid:

• Focusing only on wildfire science without developing solutions.
• Ignoring community and stakeholder perspectives.
• Creating research plans that involve only one discipline.
• Failing to explain international collaboration benefits.
• Not clearly connecting research outcomes to wildfire resilience.
• Overlooking funding agency eligibility requirements.

Useful tips:

• Define the wildfire resilience problem clearly.
• Explain how the project benefits communities.
• Include Indigenous knowledge and local expertise where appropriate.
• Create measurable research outcomes.
• Develop practical tools, policies, or strategies that can be implemented.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Enhancing Resilience to Wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface initiative?

The initiative is an international research funding program that supports projects designed to improve understanding of wildfire risks and develop solutions for wildfire resilience in wildland-urban interface areas across Canada, the UK, and the US.

What does Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) mean?

The Wildland-Urban Interface refers to areas where human communities, buildings, and infrastructure are located close to natural environments such as forests, grasslands, and other landscapes where wildfires can occur.

Which countries are involved in the program?

The initiative involves Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States through collaboration among national research funding organizations.

How much funding can Canadian researchers receive?

Canadian researchers may receive up to $750,000 from each participating Canadian agency. A project supported by NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR could receive up to $2.25 million in Canadian funding over three years.

Are international partners required?

Yes. Canadian projects must include at least one eligible UK academic collaborator who serves as the UK project lead. US participation is optional.

What types of research projects are supported?

Projects can focus on wildfire prediction, risk assessment, community resilience, health impacts, environmental effects, infrastructure protection, adaptation strategies, mitigation approaches, and recovery solutions.

Can researchers work with non-academic partners?

Yes. The initiative encourages partnerships with communities, Indigenous Knowledge Holders, emergency responders, governments, policymakers, and other stakeholders who can improve research outcomes.

Conclusion

The Enhancing Resilience to Wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface initiative provides a major opportunity for international research collaboration focused on wildfire resilience. By combining expertise from science, engineering, health, social sciences, humanities, Indigenous knowledge systems, and community experience, funded projects aim to create practical solutions for wildfire adaptation, mitigation, and recovery.

The program supports researchers working across Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States to address growing wildfire challenges and build safer, more resilient communities in a changing climate.

For more information, visit NSERC.