On May 21, 2024, the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society hosted a seminar featuring Candice Charlton's  research on evaluating the skill of meteorological-based indices for determining bushfire potential in Jamaica.

Charlton's presentation focused on her investigation into bushfire management in Jamaica and the Caribbean, with a specific emphasis on south-central Jamaica, where bushfire frequencies are notoriously high. Her research analyzed three potential bushfire meteorological-based indices from 2001 to 2019, utilizing data from NASA MODIS and the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB).

The seminar provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of these indices in representing bushfire climatology and variability, as well as their relationship with oceanic and atmospheric factors. Charlton's research aimed to contribute to the development of more accurate bushfire prediction models, ultimately enhancing bushfire management strategies in the region.

The event was a collaboration between Imperial College London, King's College London, Royal Holloway, and the University of Reading. Attendees included academics, researchers, and professionals in the field of wildfires and environmental science.

Charlton's presentation was well-received, sparking interesting discussions and questions from the audience. The seminar demonstrated the importance of continued research and collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of bushfire management.

Candice is a graduate student and assistant lecturer, here in the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona.