The Get FireSmart Podcast
The Get FireSmart Podcast is a place to hear powerful stories and lessons of impact from FireSmart leaders across the world. Every two weeks we share best practices that provide practical tips and tools to get FireSmart! Each episode is 30 to 60 minutes and focuses on tips, initiatives and insights from FireSmart professionals. FireSmart is simple and powerful. The steps you take today can help to protect your home from the threat of wildfire.
Episodes
44 episodes
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...
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36:02
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...
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30:28
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 ...
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29:19
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 sea...
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40:00
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 ...
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34:25
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 a...
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55:23
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 enga...
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32:50
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 ba...
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43:22
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...
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48:18
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 ...
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26:20
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 duri...
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37:21
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 Surr...
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49:40
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 ...
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59:38
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 For...
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31:52
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...
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42:51
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 ...
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38:36
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 ...
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40:24
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 incl...
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46:59
26: “The Future of Fire” Guest: Robert Atwood, Hummingbird Drones & Fire AI
As an entrepreneur and former firefighter, Robert has spent his career building tools and solutions to increase access to information by firefighters, fire managers and decision-makers. He is passionate about the way new technologies can better...
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50:50
25: “A Career on Fire” Guest: Mike Morrow BC Wildfire Service
Mike Morrow is a Wildfire Prevention Officer who has worked with the BC Wildfire Service for over four decades. Since his first role as an auxiliary silviculture tech, his career has taken him across the province, including Nakusp, Port McNeill...
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50:31
24: “Reigniting Cultural Burning Through Painting” Guests: Peter Holub & Sarah Sigurdson
In this episode, we interview two guests; Peter Holub, Wildfire Prevention Officer with BC Wildfire Service, and Sarah Sigurdson, co-owner of Cariboo Art Beat, a Williams Lake art collective and studio. This discussion highlights h...
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48:52
23: “Reigniting Indigenous Cultural Burning: A FNESS Feature” Guest: Dave Pascal
In this episode, we interview Dave Pascal, a Cultural & Prescribed Fire Specialist with the First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS). Dave discusses the importance of cultural and prescribed fire in British Columbia and the work he'...
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40:20
22: “A Community Focused Approach to Forests and Wildfire” Guest: Jennifer Gunter, British Columbia Community Forest Association
In today’s episode, we are speaking with Jennifer Gunter, the Executive Director of the British Columbia Community Forest Association (BCCFA). In our conversation with Jennifer, we dive into what a Community Forest is, how the association came ...
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37:39
21: “Managing Fire on the Landscape in Banff National Park” Guest: David Tavernini, Parks Canada
In this episode we are joined by David Tavernini, Fire Management Officer for Parks Canada in the Banff Field Unit.This episode allows listeners to learn from an expert who works in one of the most beautiful areas in all of Canada. We di...
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31:27
20: “The Importance of Communications in Wildfire Preparedness” Guest: Forrest Tower
In this episode we speak with Forrest Tower, Communication and Engagement Specialist and Fire Information Officer with the BC Wildfire Service. In our conversation with Forrest, we discuss the behind-the-scenes of the BC Wildfire Se...
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46:02