Source: The Conversation – Canada – By James Whitehead, Researcher, Mitigating Wildfire Initiative, Simon Fraser University
As a young supervisor of a wildfire crew, I (James Whitehead) had no idea what to do. My crew had arrived at a high-profile fire in southern British Columbia in 2021 and were immediately accosted by locals, who told me in colourful language that they did not feel protected by firefighters and had no use for us.
This occurred before I had seen the fire, developed a strategy or briefed my crew. I quickly realized my role was not just firefighter but also to be a mediator, relationship-builder and community advocate.
This experience is not unique. In B.C., despite provincial investments and increased capacity, some wildfire seasons can push even the best crews and agencies to the limit.
Sometimes, this means community members feel the need to help with wildfire response. For some, it’s about protecting an intergenerational connection to the land, whether it be their traditional territories or properties. For others, it’s avoiding the loss of their livelihood, culturally significant sites, or legacy to pass onto the next generation. These messages are reiterated by locals on the frontline.
Mike Robertson, a resident of Southside near François Lake, B.C. and a senior advisor to the Cheslatta Carrier Nation that experienced fires in 2018, described it this way: “If they [community members] wouldn’t have stayed…this whole community would have burnt.”
Across Canada, tensions often flare between fire agencies and community members who choose to stay and protect their livelihoods, homes and land. In B.C., Tsilhqot’in, Secwépemc, Nadleh Whut’en and the North Shuswap communities, among others, all describe this tension and the weight of responsibility to protect their communities.
However, the presence of locals scattered across a fire area can be disruptive and dangerous for responders. Not knowing where people are can interfere with the removal of hazardous trees or aerial water drops. Without co-ordination, the public can work at cross purposes with responders, and sometimes need to be rescued themselves, removing professionals from firefighting work.
The challenge is not firefighting capacity nor convincing people to help; it is co-ordinating efforts into a formalized fire response system that prioritizes safety and efficiency.
From conflict to collaboration
During that 2021 fire, what stayed with me was not the initial hostility but the desire to help that emerged over the next week. I soon realized that residents wanted to work in whatever capacity they could.
In 2022, the BC Wildfire Service launched the Cooperative Community Wildfire Response program (now called Community Response) in collaboration with the First Nations Emergency Services Society, Indigenous Services Canada, the BC Cattlemen’s Association, the University of British Columbia and the Fraser Basin Council.
This program creates and strengthens pathways for Indigenous and rural and remote communities to participate safely and effectively in wildfire response, ensuring they have the training, equipment and opportunities to do so.
These pathways emerged from calls by wildfire-impacted communities, and research and engagement through the Community Response Project. Communities highlighted the capacity they had to support firefighters — from local knowledge, to trusted community leaders, training and experience, and equipment and infrastructure.
A recent example of this occurred with the Merritt Snowmobile Club sharing knowledge, webcams and local values with the BC Wildfire Service in an excellent example of successful partnership.
Community leadership is often overlooked and undervalued because of missing communication pathways. The ability to communicate must extend from agency and community leadership to the front lines so firefighters and residents are prepared to work safely and respectfully alongside each other.
Too often, the agency-community dialogue starts only when a community is threatened by a fire. Many of the same skills that aid a community in wildfire response can be used and developed through proactive mitigation such as emergency planning, hazardous fuel reduction, or the FireSmart program. This strengthens resilience and builds relationships between locals and agencies that are vital during wildfire response.
Locally appropriate approaches
The Community Response program has shown: capacities and priorities vary widely. Some communities have prioritized developing community emergency response organizations, such as the 14 in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District funded in 2025 or the Chinook Emergency Response Society, which was created by residents in Southside near François Lake, B.C., after the 2018 fires. Others have built wildfire capacity within existing structural fire departments.
Some Indigenous communities help their members participate in BC Wildfire Services’ First Nations Bootcamps, or host their own initial response group, like Simpcw Indigenous Initial Attack.
As Ron Lampreau, fire chief of the Simpcw First Nation’s volunteer fire department, reflected on the community’s response:
“As a result of the strain placed on provincial resources during the devastating wildfires of 2017 and 2018, Simpcw recognized the need to establish its own emergency response capacity… By equipping our community members with the necessary skills and knowledge, we can build a more resilient community and enhance our ability to respond to emergencies.”
While progress is being made, this shift is long-term and complex. Programs require sustained funding, commitment from individuals and organizations and trust. The programs don’t always work for some communities that may face capacity and financial constraints or not see their needs reflected. It is imperative that these programs continue to evolve.
Building relationships is essential for a whole-of-society approach. That work should continue year-round, engaging and valuing communities in both mitigation and response. Honouring the knowledge, leadership, and contribution of communities — alongside that of agencies — highlights that people are the most important asset for addressing our escalating wildfire risk.
As Fire Keeper Joe Gilchrist said: “There’s so much work that needs to be done that partnerships have to be made.”
James Whitehead’s research was funded by the University of Northern British Columbia and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz’s research was funded by a grant from the BC Wildfire Service and in-kind support from the First Nations Emergency Services Society and Indigenous Services Canada.
– ref. Working with local communities is a vital part of wildfire response – https://theconversation.com/working-with-local-communities-is-a-vital-part-of-wildfire-response-262703
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