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The Get FireSmart Podcast

FireSmart

46 episodes

1 day ago

In this episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast, guest host Dan Stevens, FireSmart Education and Outreach Coordinator at FNESS, sits down with David McIlwraith, FireSmart Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Regional District, to explore what it really takes to build a wildfire-resilient community. Drawing from real-world examples and firsthand field experience, David shares some valuable lessons on the power of grassroots movements, community engagement, and adaptive problem-solving. From local o...

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In this episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast, guest host Dan Stevens, FireSmart Education and Outreach Coordinator at FNESS, sits down with David McIlwraith, FireSmart Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Regional District, to explore what it really takes to build a wildfire-resilient community. Drawing from real-world examples and firsthand field experience, David shares some valuable lessons on the power of grassroots movements, community engagement, and adaptive problem-solving. From local o...

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Episodes (20/46)

The Get FireSmart Podcast

46: “What it Takes to Be FireSmart” Guest: David McIlwraith

In this episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast, guest host Dan Stevens, FireSmart Education and Outreach Coordinator at FNESS, sits down with David McIlwraith, FireSmart Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Regional District, to explore what it really takes to build a wildfire-resilient community. Drawing from real-world examples and firsthand field experience, David shares some valuable lessons on the power of grassroots movements, community engagement, and adaptive problem-solving. From local o...

4 months ago

28 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

45: “Climate Change & Wildfire: A New Reality” Guest: Dr. Kira Hoffman

In this episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Kira Hoffman, Fire Ecologist and Researcher at the University of British Columbia, to explore what it means to live with fire in a changing climate. Hosted by FNESS FireSmart Researcher, Helena Marken, this conversation dives into the science of fire-adapted landscapes, the growing role of Indigenous-led fire stewardship, and the evolving impact of climate change on wildfire behaviour in Canada. Dr. Hoffman shares her passion f...

5 months ago

30 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

44: “Understanding Cascading Hazards” Guest: Armel Castellan

In this episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast, we’re joined by Armel Castellan, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. With a diverse career spanning aviation meteorology, Arctic weather, Indigenous collaboration, and emergency management, he brings a unique perspective to wildfire resilience. In this episode, we explore the intricate relationship between weather, wildfire, and health, diving into topics like cascading hazards, the rising frequency of ex...

9 months ago

36 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

43: “Coast-to-Coast Wildfire Resilience” Guest: Kara McCurdy

This episode of the Get FireSmart Podcast features Kara McCurdy, Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager for Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services and one of the 2024 Lynn Orstad Award winners. With over 30 years of experience as a forest technician, structural firefighter, and fire behaviour analyst, Kara brings extensive expertise and passion to wildfire mitigation. In this episode, we discuss the transformative power of FireSmart principles, Kara’s keynote presentation at the 2024 Wildf...

11 months ago

30 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

42: “A FireSmart Future for Indigenous Communities” Guest: Aislinn Gentles

Many Indigenous communities—particularly those in remote locations—are immensely vulnerable to the threat of wildfire. FireSmart represents one pathway towards wildfire resilience that Indigenous communities may choose to adopt, often blending and working with established cultural fire practices and land stewardship initiatives. To discuss her experiences and the process of integrating FireSmart into an Indigenous community, we sat down with Local FireSmart Representative Aislinn Gentles, cur...

1 year ago

29 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

41: “One Wildfire, 10,000 Heroes” Guest: Jason Brolund

In this episode, we speak with Jason Brolund, Fire Chief of West Kelowna. Through our conversation, we discuss his experiences with the devastating 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire and the important lessons learned from a difficult wildfire season. As a fire professional with decades of experience, Chief Brolund emphasizes the effectiveness of proactive preparedness through FireSmart principles, the power of clear communication with community members, and the importance of building relationships...

1 year ago

40 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

40: “Forecasting Fire” Guest: Matt MacDonald

In this episode, we sit down with Matt MacDonald, Lead Fire Weather Forecaster with the Predictive Services Unit for the BC Wildfire Service. Through our conversation, we dive into his background and learn what a day in the life of the Lead Fire Weather Forecaster looks like. As an experienced meteorologist and weather professional, Matt explains how temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and wind direction come together to influence the potential for ignition, rate of s...

1 year ago

34 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

39: “United Against Wildfire” Guests: Vic Upshaw & Craig Moore

In this special two-guest episode, we speak with Vic Upshaw, the response support supervisor for FNESS, and Craig Moore, the founder and president of Rider Ventures, to explore their extensive experience in the world of wildfire resilience and response. Through our conversation, we learn about the importance of collaboration between communities, the BC Wildfire Service, and other organizations in protecting our province from the growing threat of wildfire. With over 60 years of combined exper...

1 year ago

55 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

38: “Preparing for Wildfire Season” Guest: Dan Stevens

We're excited to feature Dan Stevens, a FireSmart BC education and outreach coordinator from Chase, BC. Dan works with First Nations’ Emergency Services Society and has a passion for wildfire education, bringing his strong background of engaging with communities all across the province on the importance of FireSmart and wildfire preparation. In this episode, we talk about getting ready for wildfire season: what to do, how to prepare, and how we can increase collaboration and training across t...

1 year ago

32 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

37: “Understanding Fuel Management” Guest: Pete Laing

Today’s discussion features Pete Laing, superintendent of fuel management with BC Wildfire Service. This episode unpacks his 33-year history in fire response and fuel management, discussing fuel types, the difference between good fire and bad fire, and the work that BC Wildfire Services does to protect BC communities. We'll learn about how fires move, the impact that has on fuel behaviour, and how to be more resilient. Pete has built his entire career on fire, and this episode is a valuable e...

1 year ago

43 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

36: “The FireSmart BC Education Program” Guest: Amanda Reynolds and Warren Woytuck

In this special two-guest episode, we dive into the FireSmart BC Education Program and how it initially took shape, featuring two key players in the process. Amanda Reynolds is the FireSmart supervisor with FNESS, and Warren Woytuck works as the director of the Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2). Get to know Amanda and Warren and their passion for wildfire resilience and education, and dive into the story of how the FireSmart Education Program was created to empower teachers and parents as th...

1 year ago

48 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

35: “Understanding and Restoring Active Fire Regimes in BC” Guest: Jen Baron

Jen Baron is a transdisciplinary ecologist and researcher with the Pacific Institute of Climate Solutions (PICS) Wildfire and Carbon Project and Canada Wildfire Strategic Network, with a focus on wildland fire, data science, and disturbance and landscape ecology. In this episode, we discuss Jen’s background, the history of fire in BC, and the importance of understanding and restoring active fire regimes in BC. Links: Learn more about FireSmart BC: firesmartbc.ca Learn more about Canad...

1 year ago

26 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

34: “The Digital Transformation of Fire Safety Education” Guest: Christina Hanger

Christina Hanger works in community engagement for the Country Fire Authority in Australia. She was one of the keynote speakers for the 2023 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit, and in this episode, we further unpack what she shared during her presentation. We specifically explore how Australia continues to invest in community engagement, awareness, and education on wildfire resiliency, and how BC can learn from their example. Christina is passionate about raising awareness and giving bac...

1 year ago

37 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

33: “Impactful Wildfire Preparation with FNESS” Guest: Wayne Schnitzler

In today’s exciting episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Wayne Schnitzler, the Executive Director of the First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS). Wayne started his 35-year career in fire service in 1979 with the City of Surrey as a volunteer firefighter, and has since been a Captain of Training, Fire Chief, and received provincial and federal exemplary service awards for 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of fire service. He has also received Citizen of the Year in 2009 and the Quee...

2 years ago

49 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

32: “What We Can Do in the Face of Wildfires” Guest: Daniel Berlant

This impactful episode introduces Daniel Berlant, the Acting State Fire Marshal and Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). We learn what his organization is doing to address the increasing threat of wildfires and how residents can participate. From actionable steps for residents to community involvement programs to global partnerships, this episode is an inspirational look into how far we’ve co...

2 years ago

59 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

31: “Igniting Global Unity in Wildfire Response” Guest: Mike McCulley, BC Wildfire Service (Part 2)

In our second conversation with Mike McCulley, we dive into his experience at the 2023 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit. Mike is a Research and Innovation Senior Officer at BC Wildfire Service and has worked for the BC Ministry of Forests for 28 years. He’s currently leading the BC Wildfire Service Research and Innovation program. This episode explores Mike’s takeaways from the conference—the people he spoke to, the lessons he learned, and a deeper understanding of his background and w...

2 years ago

31 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

30: “Connecting Data and People in Wildfire Resiliency” Guest: Mike McCulley, BC Wildfire Service (Part 1)

Mike McCulley is a Research and Innovation Senior Officer at BC Wildfire Service. In today’s episode, we begin the first of two parts and dive into Mike’s career on the front lines of wildfires. Mike specializes in working with both data and people—which are two things your average person doesn’t often think about when considering a wildfire. He shares stories of impact that stood out to him during his career, significant lessons learned, and the importance of FireSmart and wildfire resilienc...

2 years ago

42 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

29: “Partners in Progress” Guest: Fire Chief Brian Hutchinson, District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services

This episode features Brian Hutchinson, Fire Chief for the District of North Vancouver. In our conversation with Chief Hutchinson, we speak about his personal background, his passion for wildfire and his focus on training and developing his team and community to become more resilient to wildfire. This episode also highlights his involvement as the host fire department of the 2023 Summit and he touches on how the conference came to be, the planning it took to bring it to life over the past two...

2 years ago

38 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

28: “Women in Wildfire Resiliency” Guests: Brittany Seibert & Deanne Suddaby, 2023 Lynn Orstad Award Recipients

This special episode features Deanne Suddaby and Brittany Seibert, both proud recipients of the 2023 Lynn Orstad Award. In our conversation today, we speak with Deanne and Brittany about their professional background, their personal passion for wildfire, and their experience building their careers focused on wildfire resiliency. Brittany Seibert is currently the Emergency Program Coordinator for the City of Penticton as well as working with the BC Wildfire Service as a Structure P...

2 years ago

40 minutes

The Get FireSmart Podcast

27: “Insights on Wildfire Behaviour and Activity” Guest: Dr. Mike Flannigan, Thompson Rivers University

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Mike Flannigan from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. As an award-winning researcher and leading expert on wildfire behaviour and landscape fire modelling, his research goals include developing methods to help predict when and where extreme fire weather may arise and exploring the development of early warning wildfire notification systems. His passion for fire and weather has led him to work directly with the BC Wildfire Service to...

2 years ago

46 minutes