TRU receives $1.7M for wildfire response training

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) has received $1.7 million in funding to support local wildfire readiness.

On Tuesday, the university announced it had been awarded funding from Natural Resources Canada to support the training of 18 local response agencies such as rural departments and up to 260 wildland firefighters over three years.

A news release said the funding will be used to increase skills for members of each local community who provide services outside of the large, urban centers.

“We are thrilled with this news,” said TRU Vice-President Research Shannon Wagner. “It wouldn’t have been possible without our partnership with the BC Wildfire Service, which will be instrumental to the success of this initiative.”

The funding will enable applied research that will be conducted as part of the TRU Wildfire, an initiative that brings together wildfire research, education, training and innovation, the news release notes.

TRU Wildfire also includes six new programs in wildfire science and communication that were announced earlier this year. The program announcement follows the October 2023 opening of the TRU’s Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency.

Additionally, in spring 2024, the province announced that a first-of-its-kind dedicated wildfire education and training centre will be established at the university.

“With support from Natural Resources Canada and working closely with the BC Wildfire Service, we are looking at wildfire training differently to address current needs such as community interest and climate-adaptation. This is a first step,” Wagner said.