Prescribed Burning in Canada - Part 1 - Webinar 5

This webinar is the fourth instalment in the Keeping the Fire Burning Webinar Series.

Fire has shaped Alberta’s forests for generations. It is nature’s way of achieving healthy and sustainable forests. Fire recycles nutrients, helps plants reproduce, creates a mosaic of vegetation types and promotes habitat for a variety of wildlife species. Indigenous Peoples know this and have used fire on the land for millennia, but for most of the 1900’s across Canada, governments focused on fire suppression and cultural burning was made illegal. The exclusion of fire from the landscape has contributed to a decrease in biodiversity and forest health and has paved the way for insect outbreaks (like mountain pine beetle) and large-scale uncontrollable wildfires.

Today, Alberta’s Agriculture and Forestry Department uses prescribed burning to help restore ecosystems, promote healthy and resilient forests, and reduce potential for large-scale uncontrollable wildfires. Prescribed fires are the knowledgeable and controlled applications of fires on a specific land area to accomplish planned and well-defined resource management objectives. These fires are applied under select weather conditions and managed in such a way as to minimize the emission of smoke and maximize the benefits to the site.

Agriculture and Forestry works with community partners and stakeholders to identify key areas for prescribed fire operations and work to achieve the shared objectives in a safe, efficient and mutually beneficial manner.

This webinar will focus on Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Prescribed Fire Program which works to reduce wildfire threat to Albertans and their communities while balancing the benefits of wildfire on the landscape.

This is Part 1 of 2 of the “Prescribed Burning in Canada” webinars. Part 2 will be held in December and our speaker, Jane Park, Fire and Vegetation Management Specialist with Parks Canada, will highlight the work of prescribed burns at the national level.

Webinar Speakers

Dave Schroeder (Prescribed Fire Program Coordinator, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry )

Support delivery of AAF prescribed fire program
Coordinate research projects focusing on FireSmart vegetation management effectiveness
Support wildfire operations as a Fire Behaviour Analyst

Prescribed Fire work:

Work with Parks Canada to develop and deliver training for prescribed fire planning.
Coordinate research burns.
Support Forest Areas to prepare plans and conduct prescribed fire operations.
Participate in knowledge sharing such as co-authoring papers, co-hosting workshops and other events and giving presentations to agencies and interest groups.

Education:

I studied Forestry at Lakehead University and since then have taken many courses about fire behaviour.
I have been fortunate to be influenced by many wildfire experts and have witnessed many wildfires and prescribed fires.

Outside of work:

Precision sawdust maker, and occasional picture frame, furniture, cabinet maker
Weed picker and urban gardener