Premier David Eby in Kamloops, April 4, 2024 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

WILDFIRE TRAINING CENTRE

Courses to begin at new TRU Wildfire Training and Education Centre in 2025

Apr 4, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — In the aftermath of the worst wildfire season on record in British Columbia in terms of hectares lost, a task force was formed to make recommendations to government on how to reform and improve wildfire and emergency management. The Premier’s Expert Task Force was announced in September of last year and has now presented 30 recommendations.

Thompson Rivers University will soon become home to a first of it’s kind wildfire training centre, as B.C. Premier David Eby announced what he called a flagship action resulting from the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies.

“This centre will offer everything from basic training all the way through to post-doctoral work on fire behavior and science so we have the full range of expertise right here in British Columbia. This will be a first of it’s kind centre in North America where people can earn credits for this kind of educational work and training for an undergraduate degree,” Eby told a press conference on the TRU campus Thursday (April 4) morning.

The hope is that the new centre, delivered in partnership with TRU and the Ministry of Forests’ BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), will enhance the training capacity at BCWS through 1,000 workshops and 10,000 course registrations by 2028-29.

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“Those wishing to peruse higher education will have access to diploma and academic programs right here on campus. For example, the disciplines will include wildfire and climate science, behavioral science, predictive technologies, forest ecology, fire weather and First Nations history and cultural fire,” said BC Forests Minister Bruce Ralston.

Program design will start this year with intakes for program training beginning in 2025 in existing facilities. There are plans also underway to develop a state-of-the-art training facility and building on the TRU campus.

“We are working in partnership with the province using our strengths as a university in research, teaching, curriculum development and innovation to improve how as a society we adapt to living with wildfire. Our concept here at TRU is one of research-informed training, education and innovation,” added TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Brett Fairbairn.

The premier also highlighting that while no exact price tag has been applied to the new project, it should help reduce the overall impact that emergency response has on B.C.’s bottom line.

“We are going to implement all the recommendations in the report, including the technology recommendations,” said Eby. “And yes it’s expensive. We spent a $1 billion last year responding to fire. Our hope is that investment like this assists us in minimizing the costs that we know we are going to face going forward related to forest fires.”

Courses through the new training centre are expected to begin in 2025.