TREX Day 1: Northeast Swales

Day 1 of the training exchange took place at the Northeast Swales, where participants began with classroom-based training led by instructors from the United States: Kody Wohlers, Melany Schmidtt, Brad Elder, Doug Chafa, Matt Shanklin, Lael Neal, and Chase Durfee.

Following the classroom sessions, the instructors took participants into the field to apply their learning through hands-on training exercises. Crews received practical instruction on prescribed fire operations, gaining valuable experience in real-world conditions.

Later in the day, once weather conditions were deemed suitable and within prescription, crews conducted a prescribed fire operation. The day's burn was an urban prescribed fire, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the role of prescribed burning in managing landscapes and reducing wildfire risk.

Community members were excited to witness the operation firsthand and were pleased to see how effectively the burn was managed. Many noted how quickly the smoke dissipated, highlighting the careful planning and execution that went into the prescribed fire activity.

Renny Grilz, PAg (Distinguished), Incident Commander

Ian Hnatowich, Operations Chief