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I worked on a wildfire this summer then spent the fall doing layout for salvage harvest and assisting with the fire rehab. It gave me a chance to revisit the area mentioned in my Aug. 4 post (link below) and add to my observations on improving the wildfire resilience of our regenerated stands. Don’t Neglect […]
Read MoreThe recent discussions about forming a federal wildfire response agency have generated a lot of discussion and opinions from experts on where to focus our taxpayer money. Should we increase our response capacity or increase fuel modification? As is usual the answer is a bit of both. Our wildlands are in such poor condition we […]
Read MoreWhat we are calling preservation is more often than not, actually neglect. The image above shows a much used and beloved local park before a wildfire drastically changed it in late July 2024. As a society we need to decide on our priorities and objectives and manage the land accordingly. Focusing on wildfire risk reduction […]
Read MoreIntro Over the years I have had the incredible privilege of working with numerous logging contractors and their crews while conducting wildfire response. Without the invaluable service these unsung local hero’s provide we would have had much less success. Team constructing control line. Three machines from three different companies but still poetry in motion. The […]
Read MoreI travelled the southern part of the province this spring conducting training with various industry and community groups and individuals. I met a lot of great people that have a variety of valuable skills and experiences to contribute to wildfire response. That said, I encountered several common issues, misconceptions and opportunities for improvement. 1. Concerns […]
Read MoreWe have a full S100 Wildfire for Industry planned at the Western Wildfire Training Center in Kelowna June 1 and 2 and there are still seats available. The course is the MacLeod Forest Services training which is designed to better prepare people to deal with a wildfire with little or no outside help. We have […]
Read MoreBackground I have just finished three training sessions that included several tree planters. Many had stories of close encounters with wildfires in 2023. It is great to see that more planting contractors are keen to make sure their folks are adequately trained. However all the tree planters, including supervisors, stated they were unaware of how […]
Read MoreI just finished conducting a full two day Enhanced S100 for Industry session at the High Country Forest and Fire base and woodlot east of Kelowna. Teaming up with High Country has really increased the quality of the training. We are considering making it the home of the Western Wildfire Training Center. The value of […]
Read MoreIt looks like a short breakup for loggers and the tree-planters are on the move. If your work is in the High Risk category that requires a water delivery system it is time to finalize wildfire preparations. In previous posts I talked about pumps as well as hose maintenance and replacement. Here are some suggestions […]
Read MoreMy S100 for Industry training schedule is ramping up. So far I am conducting sessions in Kelowna April 16 and 17 and April 25 and 27. I have a tentative date of May 6 and 8 in Princeton. I am hoping to conduct a session around the ILA convention in Kamloops May 9 and 10. […]
Read MoreIntro Great to see so much work being done on the Prevention/Mitigation, Preparedness and Recovery but don’t forget Response. Even if we received all the money we asked for, did all the work that needed to be done and somehow eliminated climate change large, damaging wildfires are still going to occur for many years to […]
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