Mitigating Wildfire

Dr. Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz has lived and learned on unceded Indigenous territories in the land now known as British Columbia since 2016. Kelsey is a fire ecologist and social scientist who is an advocate for community wildfire resilience, local governance and connecting research to practice. She brings skills as a practitioner in natural resource management and collaborative and co-created research, and has worked with partners in Indigenous and local communities, the BC Wildfire Service, the BC Community Forest Association and the First Nations Emergency Services Society. Find Kelsey on twitter @kcopesgerbitz.

Joe Gilchrist is a member of the Skeetchestn Indian Band near Kamloops and Vice President of the Interior Salish Firekeepers. Joe’s earliest memories of using fire are from growing up along the Thompson River near Ashcroft in a house with no power, running water or plumbing. Fire was used daily for cooking, boiling water and warming the house during winter. Moving to Merritt at six years old, Joe noticed fire being used to improve hay production, cattle feed and deer habitat. Joe started firefighting at the age of 15 as an emergency hire, then became a member of the newly formed Merritt Firedevils Type 1 Unit Crew in 1991, first as a squad boss and then as Unit Crew Leader the following year. In 1996, Joe became a full time employee with BC Wildfire service in the Merritt Fire Zone after completing a 16-week Fire Prevention Technician course at the Tribal Justice Institute in Mission BC. He served for 17 years, and continues to support cultural fire initiatives today.

Dr. Kira Hoffman is a professional fire ecologist and former wildland firefighter. Dr. Hoffman's research focuses on how humans have used fire for millennia to manage and enhance their natural surroundings. Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of British Columbia, she is passionate about linking knowledge to action through science. Find her @kiramhoffman on Twitter or visit kirahoffman.com.

Francis Johnson is the Forest Manager for Alkali Resource Management Ltd and lives and works in his home village of Esk’et (Place of the White Earth) of the Secwépemc nation. Francis’ traditional name is T7exwemneq’t and he is one of three Hereditary Chiefs in the community. Through cultural teachings, Francis is learning the importance of fire as a management tool on the land and is reviving cultural burning practices within the community. Francis is working collaboratively with BCWS and local Ministry staff on adaptive management projects, with the goal of using fire to reduce fuel loading, create resilient forests and manage traditional plants and medicines on the land. Francis is married with six children and enjoys fishing, hunting, gathering and preparing food by growing a garden and raising chickens, turkeys and pigs.

Kevin is trained as a forester and planner and has worked for 30 years in the field of land and resource management.  He has worked extensively in the areas of land use, reconciliation and organizational leadership including serving as Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Operations with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Operations and a term as Chair of the Forest Practices Board.  Kevin is now a Senior Wildfire and Land Use Advisor with the Polis Project, Centre for Global Studies, at the University of Victoria.

Garnet was born at a place that the Plains Cree named Moscâstani-sîpiy, meaning “a warm place by the river”, that settlers referred to as Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Today he lives with his family at Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, “where two rivers meet”, also known as Kamloops, BC. Garnet has over 30 years experience in forest management in Western Canada and leads teams of practice that include professional forestry services in wildfire, visual resource and tenure management, as well as strategic planning. Garnet is a past president of Forest Professionals BC (2022) and believes in serving public interest through collaborative approaches and regulated practice under the Professional Governance Act. He enjoys time spent skiing with his family or with his camera in a kayak on a remote lake.

Arjun Singh served 14 years on Kamloops City Council and nine years on the Thompson Nicola Regional District Board. He has extensive experience with citizen engagement and a strong understanding of extreme weather impacts, climate action and emergency management. Arjun is a life member and past president (2019/19) of the Union of BC Municipalities. He currently works as a facilitator and strategic advisor to citizens and communities across British Columbia.