He does sound as if Pitzer could be a good fit. The Environmental Analysis program does a lot of work with cross-disciplinary ecological restoration + art + social justice + etc. On the Pomona end of the program, the director of EA is one of the most oft-quoted experts on fire issues. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/911847159/how-climate-change-affects-wildfires (Students cross-register freely, although major requirements differ a bit by school.) It’s a very supportive and vibrant department; and the lab sciences are excellent at the 5C’s too, for those who want to emphasize that aspect.
Whitman has a Semester In The West program that is a full semester of field work. You’d have to see if their financial aid would stack up for him.
Reed, Pomona, and Pitzer all have EDII, so if a clear favorite emerges by the end of the year and the NPC looks favorable, that would be an option. At Pomona, the ED acceptance rate is almost double the overall rate (although that’s inflated by recruited athletes and doesn’t necessarily mean that a particular applicant’s odds are doubled)… and they have great no-loan aid, so that might be worth a shot.
He sounds like a great kid! Will he let you read his essays and give feedback? It sounds like he could really stand out and show his creative spark, but a little guidance at fine-tuning how it all comes across could go a long way.