Wildfire prevention training for wildfire resilience
Guidance, costing and examples for municipalities
CLIMATE ADAPTATION
Wildfire prevention training equips both staff and residents with the knowledge they need to reduce ignition risks and prepare for emergencies. Communities can turn prevention into everyday practice by education on FireSmart basics, incident awareness and cultural fire co-management.
For small and rural Canadian municipalities, accessible training builds local capacity, empowers volunteers, and strengthens cooperation across residents, Indigenous Knowledge holders and fire authorities. This helps communities act early and reduce risks before wildfires occur.
This guidance outlines key steps, best practices, costing information and case studies to help municipalities plan and deliver wildfire prevention training projects.
Key steps for successful implementation
- Select target audiences: Choose the right training for staff, homeowners or volunteers (e.g., FireSmart basics for residents; facility preparedness for municipal staff)
- Choose delivery formats: Combine short online modules, in-person workshops and community demo days for accessibility
- Engage trainers and facilitators: Work with local fire agencies, Indigenous fire stewards or FireSmart program staff
- Keep records: Track attendance and issue certificates to build credibility, motivate participation and support funding applications
- Integrate training into routines: Align with existing council meetings, staff development days or community events
Best practices for design and delivery
- Tailor delivery to audience needs: Run evening sessions for residents, daytime practical sessions for public works crews and hybrid formats for staff with limited availability
- Offer blended formats: Pair short online modules with one field day to keep costs low and increase reach
- Co-develop with Indigenous partners: Integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge and cultural protocols to strengthen ecological and social outcomes
- Partner with experts: Collaborate with FireSmart Canada, provincial wildfire agencies, and public health authorities to ensure alignment with recognized best practices
- Encourage peer-to-peer learning: Support local FireSmart champions or ambassadors to share knowledge across neighbourhoods
Equity and community considerations
- Cultural awareness and Indigenous Knowledge: Partner with Indigenous firekeepers as co-trainers, budget for honoraria and include cultural safety protocols
- Address employment barriers: Link skills development to job opportunities in wildfire management, creating pathways for youth and underemployed populations
- Accommodate accessibility: Provide transportation, childcare support and flexible scheduling for training and burn activities, to remove participation barriers for remote and rural communities
Costing and budgeting information
Wildfire prevention training projects typically cost $5,000–$25,000 per community session, depending on the number of participants and training topic.
Typical cost drivers include the following: instructor fees; venue rental; travel and accommodation for instructors (especially in remote areas); print and digital materials (e.g., flyers, posters, e-learning content); administrative costs (e.g., coordination, registration, logistics); and honoraria/compensation for Indigenous Knowledge holders and guest speakers.
To help reduce overall costs:
- Leverage virtual or hybrid training formats to minimize travel and venue expenses
- Partner with local organizations (schools, community centres) to access free or low-cost spaces
- Bundle training sessions with other community events to share costs and increase participation
Case studies and lessons learned
- Joint training built shared skills in cultural fire effects monitoring workshop (Ktunaxa Territory, BC, 2022)
This three-day workshop brought together Indigenous fire stewards, municipal staff and wildfire professionals to deepen understanding of cultural burning practices and fire effects monitoring. The event combined classroom sessions with field-based learning, focusing on how cultural burns can restore ecological balance, reduce wildfire risk and revitalize traditional land stewardship. The workshop trained 30+ participants in cultural fire planning and monitoring techniques.
Lesson learned: Joint training strengthens Indigenous–municipal collaboration and builds shared monitoring skills. Bringing diverse knowledge systems together fosters mutual respect, improves ecological outcomes and builds capacity for culturally relevant fire management.
- Local delivery increased participation in FireSmart workshops (Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management, SK, 2021)
Community-led workshops provided First Nations communities with tailored FireSmart training, often supported by grant funding. Each session was adapted to local conditions, cultural contexts and community priorities. Topics included home ignition zone assessments, vegetation management, emergency planning and community engagement strategies.
Lesson learned: Locally delivered training increases participation and adapts content to community realities. When workshops are led by trusted community members and tailored to local needs, they are more effective, inclusive and sustainable.
*Note: The case studies included on this page are for informational purposes and were not supported by the Green Municipal Fund.
Additional resources
Wildfire risk reduction course (Province of British Columbia) – This 3.5-hour online course introduces participants to the fundamentals of wildfire risk reduction, including key concepts, stakeholders and mitigation strategies. It also covers funding opportunities and planning tools to support community-level fire preparedness and resilience.
FireSmart 101 (FireSmart) – This one-hour online course introduces individuals and communities to the core principles of FireSmart. It covers basic wildfire behaviour, home protection strategies and community-level actions to reduce fire risk in a clear and accessible format.
Indigenous youth wildfire training (National Indigenous Fire Safety Council) – This nationwide program offers hands-on and online training for Indigenous youth aged 15–30. It includes S-100 and S-185 certifications, pump and hose operation, and fire safety skills. This initiative builds local firefighting capacity while supporting cultural knowledge integration.
Explore more wildfire resilience activities
Learn about other wildfire resilience project types and how they can support your community:
Return to the Wildfire Resilience Toolkit for Municipalities
Related toolkits
GMF offers additional toolkits to support municipalities facing different climate risks.
Glossary
FireSmart: A national Canadian program offering practical guidelines to reduce wildfire hazards around homes and communities
Cultural fire co-management: Collaborative fire stewardship that integrates Indigenous burning practices with municipal fire management
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): Indigenous understanding of ecosystems, fire behaviour and land stewardship passed through generations
FireSmart champions: Local volunteers trained to promote FireSmart practices and support peer-to-peer learning in their communities
Incident awareness: Understanding wildfire risks, emergency alerts and response protocols to act quickly during fire events
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