UC Merced Associate Professor Erin Hestir, a remote sensing specialist and Director of CITRIS & the Banatao Institute, has been prominently featured in a recent article highlighting her work on the intersection of wildfires and coastal ecosystems. As the principal investigator of KelpFire, a NASA-funded research project, Hestir leads efforts to track the effects of wildfire runoff on kelp populations using advanced remote sensing technology and field observations. The study underscores the critical role of kelp as a sentinel species, providing early warning signs of broader ecological changes. With wildfires intensifying and coastal environments facing unprecedented stress, Hestir’s research sheds light on how these vital underwater forests respond to environmental disruptions—an essential step in protecting marine biodiversity and combating climate change.
UC Merced’s Erin Hestir Featured in Groundbreaking Study on Wildfire Impact to Coastal Ecosystems
