Prescribed fire training program launches with $8M to support controlled burns.

$8M Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program, co-developed by UBC Okanagan and the Weston Family Foundation, will train practitioners across five regional hubs and support Indigenous-led fire stewardship.

An $8 million Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program has been launched by UBC Okanagan and the Weston Family Foundation to expand the use of planned burns. The program aims to address a skills and training gap that limits prescribed fire as a land-management and ecological restoration tool in Canada. Canada's ecosystems have historically relied on fire, and decades of suppression have contributed to fuel buildup and larger wildfires. The program is designed to deliver regionally tailored training and to respect Indigenous-led fire stewardship. Key details: - The program is funded at $8 million and was co-developed by UBC Okanagan and the Weston Family Foundation. - Training will be delivered through five regional hubs: Western, Northern, Central, Eastern and Atlantic Canada. - The initiative emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration and evidence-informed practice while supporting Indigenous-led fire stewardship and cultural fire practices. - Program director Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais described the effort as providing leadership and structure to establish national standards and build capacity for safe, responsible use of prescribed fire. - The program aims to create clearer pathways to operational experience, mentorship and regionally grounded training for practitioners. Summary: The program is intended to strengthen Canada's capacity to use prescribed fire for ecological restoration and community safety by training practitioners and creating clearer pathways to operational experience. It plans to deliver regionally grounded training through five hubs and to emphasize evidence-informed practice and Indigenous-led stewardship. Timing for rollout and specific schedules was not specified in the announcement.