Kevin Kriese

Kevin Kriese serves as Senior Wildfire and Land Use Analyst at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria, where his research focuses on wildfire resilience, forest management, and climate change adaptation in British Columbia. With over 30 years of government experience, he bridges academic research with practical policy implementation.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Resource Management from Simon Fraser University, and a certificate in conflict resolution from the Justice Institute of British Columbia. These qualifications underpin his multidisciplinary approach to complex environmental challenges.

Kriese's research centers on resolving resource conflicts through collaboration between governments, Indigenous Nations, and communities. He specializes in designing forest management plans that advance wildfire resilience while addressing climate change impacts on water systems and ecosystems. His work emphasizes the importance of beneficial fire practices including Indigenous cultural burning and prescribed fire management.

His recent publication analyzes the need for coordinated action across society to manage increasing wildfire risks. The research demonstrates how home hardening requirements, vegetation management, and collaborative planning between different government levels can reduce community vulnerability while maintaining ecological benefits of fire.

• Planning and policy lead for the Bulkley Morice Wildfire Resilience Project
• Active contributor to the POLIS Wildfire Resilience Project
• Member of the Liberal Party of Canada

Kriese's government experience informs his current academic work, having served in five provincial ministries including as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and as chair of B.C.'s Forest Practices Board. His expertise in developing government-to-government agreements with Indigenous Nations remains central to his current research on collaborative land management approaches.