This article is part of a series of posts led by CHASI Research Associate Len Garis, who has been a long-time partner of CHASI through his work with the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. His guest blog posts explore a wide range of topics related to firefighting and firefighters in Canada. You can read all of his guest articles at this link.
CHASI’s collaborations with the NIFSC, and many of their other research works, can be found on our NIFSC Publications page. For questions about the NIFSC and their work, please visit their contact page.
Building Foundational Knowledge for Wildfire Resilience in Indigenous Communities: Reflections from the 2025–2026 Project Year
By Len Garis & Mandy Desautels
Wildfire risk continues to grow across Canada, with Indigenous communities facing disproportionate impacts due to geography, infrastructure, historical inequities, and limited access to emergency resources. In response, the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC), in partnership with the University of Waterloo, is advancing a multi‑year collaborative research initiative aimed at strengthening wildfire preparedness, response, and resilience through community‑driven knowledge, technical innovation, and culturally grounded engagement.
The 2025–2026 reporting year marked a period of significant progress. Through community conversations, analytical advancements, and the development of new tools, the project has begun to build a robust foundation of knowledge that will support Indigenous communities in navigating the growing threat of wildland‑urban interface (WUI) fires. This blog highlights the major achievements, challenges, and lessons learned throughout the year, drawing from the project’s official end‑of‑year activity and performance report.
Strengthening Knowledge Through Community Engagement
One of the most meaningful successes of the year came from direct engagement with Indigenous communities and Friendship Centres. As the report notes, “Engagement with three Friendship Centers has led to the collection of valuable, experience-based knowledge on wildfire risk, including lived experiences and the integration of Indigenous knowledge related to wildland-urban interface (WUI) risk.”
These conversations provided more than data—they offered context, stories, and lived realities that cannot be captured through technical analysis alone. Community members shared experiences of past wildfire seasons, evacuation challenges, and the cultural dimensions of land stewardship. This reciprocal exchange is helping shape tools and approaches that reflect community priorities rather than imposing external frameworks.
A notable example was the project team’s visit to Muskoday First Nation, where they delivered a presentation, held informal discussions, and interviewed the Fire Chief. These engagements not only strengthened relationships but also enriched the project’s understanding of community‑specific risk factors and preparedness needs.
Advancing Technical Tools and Analytical Methods
Alongside community engagement, the research team made substantial progress in developing technical tools that will support wildfire risk assessment and preparedness planning.
1. Combined WUI Fire Risk Index
The team continued refining a Combined Risk Index and Table methodology designed to help communities understand their level of WUI fire risk. This index integrates demographic factors, environmental conditions, and technical wildfire indicators, offering a more holistic view of risk. As the report states, the index provides “preliminary screening and guidance on the levels of WUI Fire Risk for communities across Canada.”
2. Historical Fire Weather Index (FWI) Analysis
A major analytical milestone involved studying historical wildfire risk across 21 Indigenous communities. By examining Fire Weather Index components before and during fire seasons, the team identified distinct patterns that may support the development of new fire risk thresholds. These thresholds could help communities anticipate dangerous conditions earlier and more accurately.
3. Mapping Tools for Community Use
The project also advanced a suite of mapping tools that visualize wildland fuels, topography, and potential fire spread pathways. These tools are designed to be adaptable to each community’s geography and priorities, supporting local discussions about vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies. A draft user guide was developed to help both researchers and emergency management personnel use these tools effectively.
4. Wildfire Wheel Chart Prototype
One of the most innovative developments was the creation of a wildfire wheel chart prototype—an interactive tool that integrates community knowledge with technical risk factors. The report notes that the team “collected significant background and design information toward development of a wheel chart that can integrate both community and technical elements of wildfire risk into a user-friendly, interactive tool.”
This tool has strong potential to support education, awareness, and preparedness planning in both digital and physical formats.
5. Public Health Evacuation Tools
Recognizing the health impacts of wildfire evacuations, the team developed the first set of public health–related evacuation tools for future integration into the WUI Community Preparedness Digital Tool. These resources aim to support safer, more coordinated evacuations, particularly in rural and remote communities.
Knowledge Mobilization: Sharing Insights and Building Networks
Knowledge mobilization was a central focus of the year, with efforts aimed at ensuring that research findings reach communities, practitioners, and decision‑makers.
Conference Engagement
The project team prepared and delivered multiple presentations at the Indigenous Public Safety Conference, generating new ideas for educational materials and strengthening connections with practitioners across Canada.
International engagement also expanded. An abstract on Fire Weather Index correlations was accepted for presentation at the Society of Fire Protection Engineers WUI Summit in Maryland, while another abstract on reimagining risk indices for Indigenous populations was submitted for the same event. These contributions highlight the project’s growing influence in global wildfire research circles.
Community‑Centered Mobilization
Knowledge mobilization was not limited to formal presentations. Conversations with communities and Friendship Centres served as two‑way learning opportunities, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge and lived experiences remain central to the project’s direction. These engagements also helped identify community needs and expectations for future tools and resources.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
While the project achieved significant progress, it also encountered challenges that shaped its approach moving forward.
1. Information Sharing Across a Diverse Team
With contributors from science, planning, engineering, health, and community organizations, ensuring consistent and accessible communication was a challenge. The report notes that “effectively disseminating information across a highly interdisciplinary team” required structured communication and improved data management systems.
A dedicated SharePoint site was created to streamline collaboration and version control.
2. Building Community Trust
Some communities expressed concerns about being over‑researched or uncertain about how their data and Traditional Knowledge would be used. The project team emphasized transparency, respect, and long‑term relationship‑building—critical components of ethical Indigenous research.
3. Timing and Availability
Seasonal responsibilities, wildfire recovery, and local priorities sometimes limited community availability. The team learned the importance of flexible scheduling and adapting engagement plans to community capacity.
4. Identifying Initial Contacts
Finding the right people to initiate engagement was occasionally difficult. Leveraging NIFSC’s internal contact directory helped overcome this barrier.
Looking Ahead: Planned Activities for the Next Reporting Period
The upcoming reporting period will focus on deepening community engagement, refining tools, and expanding knowledge production.
Key planned activities include:
- Finalizing and enhancing mapping tools and the wildfire wheel chart.
- Completing the first iteration of the QGIS user guide.
- Developing educational materials based on the occupational wellness report for rural firefighters.
- Conducting NVivo‑supported qualitative analysis of lived evacuation experiences.
- Advancing case study reviews for future publication.
- Designing and launching a webinar (digital sharing circle) to support broad knowledge sharing.
- Continuing community interviews to gather Traditional Knowledge and lived experiences.
These efforts will help ensure that the project’s tools and insights remain grounded in community realities while advancing technical innovation.
Conclusion: A Foundation for Resilient Futures
The 2025–2026 project year marked a pivotal step in building foundational knowledge for wildfire resilience in Indigenous communities. Through community engagement, analytical advancements, and knowledge mobilization, the NIFSC and University of Waterloo have laid the groundwork for tools and strategies that reflect both Indigenous knowledge and technical expertise.
The challenges encountered—particularly around trust, communication, and timing—underscore the importance of relationship‑centered research. As the project moves into its next phase, its commitment to community‑driven approaches will remain central.
Wildfire risk is a growing reality, but with collaborative research, culturally grounded engagement, and innovative tools, Indigenous communities can be better supported in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from wildfire events. This project represents an important step toward that future.
Authors
Len Garis is director of research for the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, Ret. Fire Chief for the city of Surrey, B.C., Research Associate – University of the Fraser Valley associate scientist emeritus with the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit. Contact him at lwgaris@outlook.com.
Mandy Desautels is Chief Administrative Officer at the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. Prior to joining NIFSC, she worked for BC Emergency Health Services and prominent NGOs. Contact her at mandy.desautels@indigenousfiresafety.ca.