Tara McGee, PhD, BES

About

Degrees

PhD (1996) The Australian National University

BES (1989) Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Co-op), University of Waterloo.

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Research

Research areas

• Wildfire social sciences
• Wildfire prevention
• Wildfire mitigation by homeowners and governments
• Wildfire evacuation
• Wildfire experiences Indigenous communities
• Qualitative research methods

Research interests

Dr. McGee’s wildfire social science research program focuses on individual, community, and organizational responses to wildfires. She has completed numerous studies on the human dimensions of wildfire, including wildfire risk perceptions, prevention, mitigation and preparedness, and evacuation. Most of her wildfire social science research is based in Canada, including the First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Partnership which she co-leads.  Although Dr. McGee’s research has focused mainly on wildfires, she has carried out and supervised research related to other hazards including floods, earthquakes, and avalanches.  

Research projects

• First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Partnership
• First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Host Communities
• First Nation Community Preparedness in BC
• Public support for prescribed burning in BC 

Lab - Human Dimensions of Hazards Research Group

HM Tory Building, room 3-2

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Teaching

HGEO 252 Human Dimensions of Environmental Hazards  

This second year Human Geography course introduces students to key concepts and theoretical frameworks in the human dimensions of environmental hazards and disasters field, including vulnerability, environmental justice, resilience, mitigation and preparedness, recovery, risk communication, risk perceptions, social amplification of risk, and warning response. Students will also gain knowledge about the roles and responsibilities of the public and government agencies in environmental hazard mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.  

  

  

Gul, S., McGee, T.K.

Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions. 2024 November; 10.1080/17477891.2024.2422353

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Foster-Sanchez, M., McGee, T.K.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 2024 October; 112 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104791

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Tara K. McGee, Ludwig Paul B. Cabling

International Journal of Wildland Fire. 2022 May; 31 (6):599-606 10.1071/WF20177

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McGee, T.K., Healey, D.

Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions. 2021 December; 10.1080/17477891.2021.2020083

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Tara K. McGee, Amy Cardinal Christianson, and the First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Partnership

Purich Books. 2021 July;

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Tara K. McGee

Fire Safety Journal. 2021 March; 120 10.1016/j.firsaf.2020.103120

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View additional publications