KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is playing a key role in strengthening wildfire resilience in Canada through the newly established Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC).

The WRCC is supported by an $11.7 million investment over four years from the Government of Canada through the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative.

“TRU is honoured to partner on this national effort to address the growing challenge of wildfires and the impact to our communities,” said Shannon Wagner, TRU’s interim provost and vice-president academic.

The WRCC will act as a national virtual network, bringing together Indigenous knowledge holders, researchers, practitioners and industry leaders to enhance wildfire resilience by advancing knowledge sharing, technology, and Indigenous fire stewardship across jurisdictions.

TRU joined the consortium in partnership with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) and shares a seat as one of five foundational partners. Others include the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, FPInnovations, the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and the Forest Products Association of Canada.

This joint membership is an acknowledgement of the distinctive value brought by the well-established collaboration between BCWS and TRU. As part of a broader TRU Wildfire initiative, the university is working together with BCWS to bridge academic research with frontline wildfire operations. This partnership ensures that emerging research and innovation informs practice and training, and that real-world experience continues to shape future wildfire solutions.

For more on the WRCC and its network, please see the announcement from Natural Resources Canada.

For more on TRU Wildfire, a solutions-focused approach to current and future wildfire challenges, please see tru.ca/wildfire.

Contact:
Erin Breden, Senior Communications Consultant
University Relations, Thompson Rivers University
250-852-8367 | ebreden@tru.ca