As a young supervisor of a wildfire crew, I (James Whitehead) had no idea what to do. My crew had arrived at a high-profile fire in southern British Columbia in 2021 and were immediately accosted by locals, who told me in colourful language that they did not feel protected by firefighters and had no use for us.

This occurred before I had seen the fire, developed a strategy or briefed my crew. I quickly realized my role was not just firefighter but also to be a mediator, relationship-builder and community advocate.

This experience is not unique. In B.C., despite provincial investments and increased capacity, some wildfire seasons can push even the best crews and agencies to the limit.

Sometimes, this means community members feel the need to help with wildfire response. For some, it’s about protecting an intergenerational connection to the land, whether it be their traditional territories or properties. For others, it’s avoiding the loss of their livelihood, culturally significant sites, or legacy to pass onto the next generation. These messages are reiterated by locals on the frontline.

Mike Robertson, a resident of Southside near François Lake, B.C. and a senior advisor to the Cheslatta Carrier Nation that experienced fires in 2018, described it this way: “If they [community members] wouldn’t have stayed…this whole community would have burnt.”

Across Canada, tensions often flare between fire agencies and community members who choose to stay and protect their livelihoods, homes and land. In B.C., Tsilhqot’in, Secwépemc, Nadleh Whut’en and the

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