Applicants wanted for managing wildfire in a changing climate

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has announced the launch of the Fighting and Managing Wildfire in a Changing Climate Program — Training Fund (FMWCC). Under this program, the Government of Canada will provide funding to train 1,000 firefighters to help reduce the risks of wildfires and support community-based capacity to mitigate, prepare and respond to wildfires on an ongoing basis.

“After the worst wildfire season in our history, the federal government is continuing to work with provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as with Indigenous Peoples, to mitigate and adapt to the worst effects of climate change,” said Jonathon Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. “The Fighting and Managing Wildfires: Training Fund is a crucial part of Canada’s plan to train more firefighters in the communities that need them most, protecting lives and livelihoods. Over the past eight years, the federal government has made wildfire management a top priority and will continue to do so.”

A two-year pilot phase, starting in 2022–23, has informed the design of this 2023 Wildfire Training Fund Call for Applications to support projects through the end of the program in 2027.

Funding is available for projects in the following three streams:

• Wildland Firefighter Training at the Type I, II, III levels;
• Community Wildfire Protection Training to develop and implement community-based wildfire prevention and fire management activities; and
• Youth Wildfire Training to develop future cohorts of wildland firefighters and professionals.

The Call for Applications prioritizes Indigenous applicants and projects that demonstrate the benefit to Indigenous communities, which face disproportionate climate impacts relating to wildfires. It will also take into consideration the three streams, a distinction-based approach, national distribution and support diversity and the inclusion of underrepresented groups (e.g., women, racialized groups and Indigenous groups).

Applications for the 2023 Wildfire Training Fund Call for Applications will be accepted until February 1, 2024, and are open to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous organizations, groups and communities, Canadian academic institutions, provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies.

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