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Home / 2025 / June / 17 / Mapping a crisis: UBCO student builds wildfire website from evacuation zone
Campus Life, Campus News, Teaching & Learning

Mapping a crisis: UBCO student builds wildfire website from evacuation zone

Innovative wildfire map helps raise awareness and support for those affected

June 17, 2025

A large cloud of smoke rises about the town of Flin Flon, Manitoba.

UBCO student Jenna Taylor captured this photo of the wildfire smoke as the blaze approached her hometown of Flin Flon, Manitoba on May 27. The town and surrounding communities were evacuated the following day and remain under an evacuation order.

At home in Flin Flon, Manitoba during a summer break, third-year UBC Okanagan geography student Jenna Taylor put her newly learned skills to work when her community was placed under a mandatory evacuation order in late May.

Amid the devastating wildfires affecting many communities across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Taylor developed an innovative wildfire emergency website that combines real-time mapping, weather data and essential resources for those affected.

Taylor was inspired to help her hometown community by launching the website to visualize the growth of the fires around Flin Flon and the surrounding area after finding herself evacuated as a result of the fire’s rapid growth and devastation.

“Seeing the fire spread so quickly through an area that means so much to me has been overwhelming,” she says. “I wanted to do something to visualize just how serious the situation was and to help others stay informed and connected during such a stressful time.”

The website began as a time-lapse map of the fire’s growth over a one-week period, which Taylor updated to reflect daily changes. As of June 9, the fire had spread across 515,000 hectares with small towns such as Denare Beach, Saskatchewan losing about half of its homes.

“Denare Beach is a neighbouring community to Flin Flon, which we all hold close to us,” says Taylor. “My main goal from this project is to bring awareness to the communities and the devastation many people are facing. But we are also very thankful for the firefighters and essential services who have been helping the communities during this time.”

Using a geospatial platform for mapping and sharing data called ArcGIS, Taylor used the technical skills gained through coursework in geography and climate science, and then transformed the platform into a full emergency information hub. The site now offers interactive fire growth and weather maps, real-time data visualization and fire condition updates, along with resources for evacuees and ways to support affected communities.

“UBCO is at the cutting edge of research that helps to protect people, communities and infrastructure from the kinds of wildfire we’re seeing more and more throughout the world,” says Taylor. “Studying at a university that is at the forefront of this challenge inspired me to use my studies to make a difference in my community.”

Much of the foundation for the site came from skills developed in GEOG 270: Cartography and Map Making, an undergraduate course focused on hands-on workshops in map creation, spatial data management and map-based communication. For the final project, students are challenged to develop an online atlas featuring interactive maps highlighting a local issue of concern, explains Dr. Jonathan Cinnamon, Associate Professor with UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

“Students come away from the course with the ability to transfer skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to the real world,” says Dr. Cinnamon. “A perfect example is Taylor’s invaluable website, which contains up-to-date wildfire and weather maps to support decision making in affected communities.”

Taylor’s project uniquely combines geographic analysis and community-focused support into one accessible platform and is a reflection of Taylor’s broader undergraduate academic and personal journey. After two years in the mining industry, Taylor pursued abachelor’s degree in geography with a minor in environmental science at UBCO, drawn to the program’s focus on human-environment interaction. Through coursework, outdoor leadership roles and field experience, Taylor developed a strong foundation in using spatial data and environmental analysis to address real-world issues.

“Creating this platform allowed me to merge everything I’ve been learning with what I care about most—helping others and protecting the environment,” Taylor says. “I hope it not only informs people but also encourages community resilience and action.”

Media Contact

Patty Wellborn
E-mail: patty.wellborn@ubc.ca

Content type: Media Release
More content from: Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Irving K Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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