Premier David Eby announced the establishment of a Wildfire and Education Training Centre at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops (Image credit: Michael Reeve/CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze

Wildfire Centre

Wildfire training centre to be established at Thompson Rivers University

Apr 4, 2024 | 11:40 AM

KAMLOOPS — A wildfire training and education centre will be coming to Thompson Rivers University (TRU).

Speaking in Kamloops Thursday morning (Apr. 4), Premier David Eby announced what he calls the first of its kind centre in North America, where students can earn credits for to a post-graduate degree. Eby says the centre’s will include basic training all the way through post doctoral work on fire behaviour and science.

The wildfire training and education centre is one of the action points from 31 recommendations by the Premier’s Task Force on Emergencies.

Eby says TRU had already started the foundational work in partnership with the BC Wildfire Service in bringing together experts to look at how the province can look at academic rigours to wildfire behaviour.

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

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The centre is a partnership with TRU and the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) and will enhance the training capacity at BCWS. Additionally, BCWS will transition some of its existing training programs and courses into the centre’s new curriculum.

By 2028-29, the province says more than 1,000 workshops will be offered per year, which will translate into 10,000 course registrations.