Wildfire experts converge at TRU for national conference
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) will soon host the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada’s (WRCC) first Building Foundational Knowledge gathering. Running Oct. 7 to 9, the program is packed with lightning talks, workshops and networking designed to deepen knowledge and build connections.
Recipients of Natural Resources Canada’s Build and Mobilize Foundational Wildland Fire Knowledge program will headline the sessions. The federal initiative recently provided $45.7 million to 30 projects across Canada, supporting research to strengthen risk assessments and mitigation and helping Indigenous communities lead on fire stewardship.
“The Building Foundational Knowledge gathering is intentionally designed to prioritize interaction and co‑creation,” says Garnet Mierau, executive director of the WRCC. “We’ve structured the program around speed sessions that spark discussion and facilitated workshops where everyone has a voice. Our goal is for people to leave not only informed but connected and energized to continue collaborating on wildfire resilience.”
At the conference, project leads will deliver rapid‑fire presentations on topics such as climate‑adaptive forestry, LiDAR‑based fuels mapping, collaborative living labs, Indigenous guardianship initiatives and tools for cloud‑based wildfire risk assessment. Later talks will examine post‑fire analysis frameworks, proactive risk‑mitigation strategies and ways to weave Indigenous values with modern technologies. Other presentations will highlight wildfire risk governance in fragmented landscapes, northern community resilience, and fire safety in Indigenous communities, illustrating how research is being mobilized across disciplines and regions.
The first full day of the gathering features opening remarks from Mierau and TRU President Airini, as well as a session on Mobilizing Research and Connecting to Your Audience led by Shelagh Pyper, WRCC’s knowledge mobilization core lead. The last day includes facilitated workshops where attendees will explore themes — human dimensions, policy and practice, Indigenous fire stewardship, biodiversity and ecosystem health, adaptive forest management and training and capacity building — to refine the future of the WRCC.
“We are proud to support the WRCC and TRU as they host this gathering,” says Corey Hogan, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. “By bringing together experts, Indigenous leaders, and researchers from across the country, this conference will strengthen our understanding and management of wildfire risks, which is key to protecting communities, ecosystems, and our natural resources now and into the future.”
The WRCC operates as a national virtual network, and TRU Wildfire, in partnership with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), is a founding partner and one of five board members.
Virtual participation at the gathering is unlimited and anyone interested in wildfire resilience can join. For more information, or to register for virtual attendance, visit wrcc-crffc.com.