The History of Indigenous Unit Crews in BC
In the late 1980s, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) and Indigenous communities were both facing challenges, which they were able to turn into a joint opportunity.
News & Insights
Firefighting Backwards Through Prescribed Fire and Cultural Burning
Indigenous partnerships are the foundation of prescribed fire and cultural burning in British Columbia. Working together through knowledge sharing, training, and boots on the ground is crucial to ensuring the continued health and resilience of the province’s ecosystems, and mitigating the impacts of wildfire on our forests and communities. The importance of everyone doing their […]
Shifting to a Proactive Model of Wildfire Management
Following the devastating 2021 fire season, the Province announced that Budget 2022 would more than double the funding available to protect British Columbians from wildfires by increasing funding for several wildfire prevention programs and initiatives , including increasing prevention and mitigation activities like cultural burning and prescribed fire.
Reigniting Cultural Burning Through Painting
Indigenous communities have been leading wildland fire mitigation and prevention in Canada since time immemorial. Through generational practices like cultural burning they’ve helped shape the lives of humans, plants, animals, and the environment itself.
Simpcw Indigenous Initial Attack Crew
Just north of Kamloops, B.C., sits Chu Chua, home of the Simpcw First Nation and the first Indigenous Initial Attack (IIA) crew for the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
Lung Association Report: Prescribed Burns Can Mitigate Health Harm from Worsening Wildfires
New report weighs benefits and risks of prescribed fire to mitigate health harms of catastrophic wildfires
How British Columbia is preparing for potential wildfire this summer
A cooler, damper spring has alleviated early wildfire worries in the province, but officials are monitoring several drier regions closely.
Historic investments help B.C. prepare for wildfire season
“Shared Stewardship”, an approach to wildfire risk reduction
Successful forest stewardship brings together provincial, regional, and local governments and other partners to plan, prioritize, and act together to create healthy, resilient ecosystems.
Nelson’s collaborative approach to wildfire risk reduction
When it comes to mitigating the effects of wildfire, the Nelson area is proving to be a pioneer with its unique collaborative approach.