KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University (TRU) has been awarded nearly $1.7 million by Natural Resources Canada through the federal Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate – Training Fund to support local wildfire readiness.
The funds will support the training of 18 local response agencies, such as rural fire departments, and up to 260 wildland firefighters over a three-year period. Local response agencies provide service outside of large, urban centres and rely primarily on members of the local community.
The project emphasizes the upskilling of those who already have a presence and capacity on the ground. By removing cost barriers and providing advanced training, this funding supports communities in meeting the evolving demands of wildfire response.
“We are thrilled with this news. It wouldn’t have been possible without our partnership with the BC Wildfire Service, which will be instrumental to the success of this initiative,” said TRU Vice-President Research Shannon Wagner.
The funding will enable applied research that will be conducted as part of TRU Wildfire, an initiative that brings together wildfire research, education, training and innovation. This funding will ensure that training evolves alongside our understanding of fire in a rapidly changing environment.
According to Wagner, “the speed of change we’re seeing with climate and wildfire behaviour is unprecedented and the need for research-informed, flexible and responsive training has never been greater.”
By bridging research and practice, initiatives such as this strengthen local and regional wildfire response efforts with evidence-based solutions, maximizing the impact and efficiency of wildfire training programs.
“With support from Natural Resources Canada and working closely with the BC Wildfire Service, we are looking at wildfire training differently to address current needs such as community interest and climate-adaptation. This is a first step,” she said.
“B.C has some of the most skilled, professional and dedicated teams of wildland firefighters in the world, and we have partnered with Thompson Rivers University to create the wildfire training and education centre to expand and pass along their expertise,” said B.C. Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.
“This federal funding, with the support and guidance of the BC Wildfire Service, will help train new wildland firefighters across the province and help protect people and communities.”
This training project is part of a broader initiative at the university, known as TRU Wildfire. In partnership with the BC Wildfire Service, TRU Wildfire brings together research, education, training and innovation to offer a solutions-focused and comprehensive approach to current and future wildfire challenges in BC and beyond. Learn more at tru.ca/wildfire.
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Contact:
Erin Breden, Senior Communications Consultant
University Relations, Thompson Rivers University
250-852-6837 | ebreden@tru.ca
