FESP10 will feature scientific activities, immersive experiences, and keynote lectures designed to foster reflection and discussion on the effects of fire on ecosystems.
We invite you to explore the program and discover what we have prepared for this edition.
Tiempo Pewén – A Technocreative Inquiry into Ecological Time and Territorial Interdependence
Presented by:
Miguel Bolt – Magmalab (La Araucanía)
DR. HUGH SAFFORD
Talk: Fundamentals of Fire Ecology and Its Connections with Erosive Processes and Debris Flows
Universidad de La Frontera
Avenida Francisco Salazar 01145
Temuco, Chile
Casilla 54-D
Fono: (56) 45 232 5000 FAX: (56) 45 259 2822
La Universidad
Accesos Rápidos
As part of the complementary activities of the 10th conference on Fire Effects on Soil Properties (FESP10), we are pleased to announce the special presentation of Tiempo Pewén, an immersive virtual reality (VR) work that combines art, science, and technology to explore the ecological complexity of the Andean forest.
This audiovisual experience, developed in La Araucanía by the Magmalab studio, emerges from a process of territorial research situated in the mountainous region of southern Chile. Through techniques such as 3D photogrammetry, digital animation, botanical collage, and multichannel spatial sound, the piece addresses the interdependent relationships between araucaria trees, mycorrhizal fungi, soil, glaciers, and volcanoes.
More than representing data, Tiempo Pewén proposes a sensory and post-anthropocentric approach to the ecosystem, inviting us to rethink our relationship with deep time and planetary transformation in the context of the Anthropocene.
The narrative focuses on the Araucaria araucana, an endemic species currently endangered, positioning it as a witness to the geological, ecological, and cultural evolution of the landscape. The project is inspired by contemporary perspectives in ecological thought, posthuman philosophy, and ancestral knowledge, and has been exhibited internationally in venues such as the ArtLAC Gallery of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C., and will soon be featured at the Official Chilean Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 during the Indigenous Peoples Week.
Including this activity in FESP10 offers a representative showcase of the creative industry in the Southern Andean region, where contemporary art, immersive technology, and environmental reflection converge. Tiempo Pewén demonstrates the potential of collaborative and transdisciplinary methodologies to raise awareness of current ecological challenges through an aesthetic experience deeply rooted in the landscape and biocultural heritage.
Position: Assistant Professor – Universidad Austral de Chile / Principal Investigator – IEB
Dr. Susana Paula is an Assistant Professor at Universidad Austral de Chile and a principal investigator at the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB). Her research focuses on fire ecology and plant functional physiology under stressful conditions, with an emphasis on Mediterranean and temperate Andean ecosystems. She studies plant functional traits, such as flammability, resprouting, and postfire germination, to understand vegetation recovery and inform ecological restoration under climate change.
She currently leads PrioRest, an ANID-funded prototype that evaluates wildfire impacts and defines restoration priorities in Ñuble, Biobío, and La Araucanía, in collaboration with CONAF and local communities. Her work integrates ecological, hydrological, and biocultural variables to support evidence-based restoration policies and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration for postfire ecosystem recovery.
Position: Research Ecologist – University of California, Davis
Dr. Hugh Safford is a research ecologist at UC Davis and former Regional Ecologist for the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region (2001–2021). He also served as Chief Scientist at Vibrant Planet (2022–2024), supporting forest resilience and wildfire risk reduction.
His lab focuses on applied fire ecology and ecosystem management, and he leads initiatives such as the California Fire Science Consortium and the California State Parks Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program. Safford has provided technical expertise on fire and climate change management across the US, Europe, and Latin America, including wildfire risk mapping in Chile.
He is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, studying Mediterranean postfire restoration and ultramafic flora in Madagascar, and co-edited the 2021 Postfire Restoration Framework for National Forests in California, guiding management under changing environmental conditions.
Position: Researcher – IMIB (CSIC-University of Oviedo, Spain)
Dr. Antonio Girona-García is a researcher at the Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB) in Spain and a Ramón y Cajal fellow, one of the country’s most prestigious research programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (University of Zaragoza, 2019, summa cum laude), with prior studies in soil and water management and environmental sciences.
His research focuses on soil degradation, fire-induced changes in soil organic carbon, and postfire erosion modeling. He leads EROSINK, a Spanish Ministry–funded project that investigates carbon redistribution in postfire landscapes and its implications for the global carbon cycle.
Dr. Girona-García has completed international research stays in the US Forest Service (Idaho), Portugal, and Spain, contributing to applied fire ecology and the development of erosion mitigation strategies in fire-affected ecosystems.
