Dr. Dale Gross

Dr. Dale Gross serves as the Deputy Incident Commander and Communications Chief for TREX, bringing more than two decades of experience in grassland ecology, prescribed fire, and ecosystem management. A leading prescribed fire practitioner and researcher in Saskatchewan, Dale completed his PhD at the University of Saskatchewan, where his work focused on the applications of and barriers to prescribed fire for grassland management. He has authored numerous scientific publications on fire ecology and has played a pivotal role in advancing prescribed fire across the Canadian Prairies. Dale was instrumental in reintroducing prescribed fire to Nature Conservancy of Canada lands at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Conservation Area after more than 60 years, helped establish the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange (CPPFE), and revitalized Saskatchewan Parks’ prescribed fire program in 2021. As a member of the TREX Incident Management Team since 2021 and Incident Commander of the inaugural Oskana Prairies TREX in 2026, he has been a driving force in building prescribed fire capacity and fostering collaboration among agencies, organizations, and practitioners. Dale is widely respected for his leadership, mentorship, and commitment to supporting the next generation of fire practitioners, guided by his belief that "if you are fortunate enough to have good people around you, good things will happen." His research and conservation work have also gained national recognition, including being featured in CBC’s The Nature of Things documentary Grasslands: A Hidden Wilderness.