Recently, I caught up with a friend who had completed two demanding 14-day assignments fighting wildfires in Canada. As a superintendent of an Interagency Hotshot Crew, his revelations exposed Canada’s startling lack of preparedness for wildfires of this magnitude.
In this respect, we often overlook preparedness, and it is no different with wildfires. Under preparedness opens the door to disaster; from inadequate equipment and situational awareness to poor physical preparation, wildfires rapidly exploit any weakness.
Wildland firefighters often teeter between recovering from the previous fire season and preparing for the next during their fall and winter breaks. But as we’re witnessing, fire seasons are morphing into fire years, with incidents occurring throughout the calendar year.
This change signals an urgent need for industry and decision-makers to invest in proactive solutions like those offered by the Wildfire Collective Industry (WIC). WIC’s unified approach targets this escalating issue, advocating for sufficient investment into wildfire preparedness. Unfortunately, past deficiencies in funding have left federal firefighters making do with outdated equipment, some predating Vietnam.
WIC is dedicated to protecting and advocating for critical federal discretionary budgets for wildfire management. This safeguarding ensures consistent availability of essential, cutting-edge tools, services, and products yearly. Such continual improvements hinge on better situational awareness of budget activities and sufficient yearly investments.
However, it’s not just about funding and equipment. WIC serves as a communication facilitator between the wildfire industry and federal/state entities. Our interactive platform allows for efficient knowledge exchange and resolution, enhancing our preparedness for future wildfires.
Collective action is at the heart of WIC’s ethos.
We believe in the power of unification, connecting stakeholders from local communities, federal offices, industry leaders, and frontline firefighters. This amalgamation is aimed at promoting best practices, enhancing innovation, and refining wildfire management. You can see it in action on August 22nd at our Summer Circle Up!
Our commitment is to be the torchbearer of a proactive, collective response against the looming challenges of wildfire management. This approach aims to boost the resilience and preparedness of all parties involved.
Join us in our quest to ensure we’re equipped to face the 21st Century’s wildfire challenges. Become a part of the collective that is acting and safeguarding our future.