Guardians Can Play a Larger Role in Wildfire Response and Management
By Brady Highway
October 12, 2022
As western Canada continues to burn into the late fall, some predict firefighters will be on the ground until the snow flies this year. Fires are nothing new, but the changing climate has intensified fires through longer and dryer summer months, leaving many of us working on the fire line wondering how to adapt to these new conditions.
Indigenous knowledge can improve and strengthen firefighting efforts across the country. And Guardians are at the heart of Indigenous-led solutions.
The fact of the matter is, there are many Indigenous people with a wealth of training and experience but are limited as to what certifications are available to us.
The complexity of hiring, mentoring, training, and equipping people to become wildland firefighters should be scaled appropriately at the national level. Managing such a program requires a high degree of capacity. This is often beyond the scope of individual First Nations, but collectively, we can organize a system that would benefit all.
Now a new national strategy outlines how First Nations Guardians could play an expanded role in wildfire management and response, helping to manage the risk of climate change and shield communities from unchecked fires.
This strategy was developed by the Indigenous Leadership Initiative along with several partners. It explores the potential for an expanded role for Guardians in wildfire management. It examines the roles Guardians could play in fire crew positions and delineates a pathway for First Nations leadership to become involved in management decisions related to forest ecosystems.
The strategy is offered as a draft for discussion with Guardians, First Nations, fire agencies, and others, including researchers and philanthropies. Further dialogue and early efforts on the ground will help to refine it.
As we look at ways Guardians can help meet the challenges of tomorrow’s changing climate, we have uncovered many opportunities that can help realize a national network of Fire Guardians that can not only aid in the control of wildfires, but also help conduct many of the prevention and mitigation projects we so desperately need in our remote First Nations.
There is a cultural significance to this work. It is our responsibility to look after our territories, so there is an inherent role for us in fire management. With many calling for the restoration of cultural burning practices, guardians can help guide us towards new grounds in fire management.
