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Tuition-free wildfire-fighter training still accepting applications

A group of people with hard hats are gathered outside around a man demonstrating an orange water pump with a long black hose.
The class size is relatively small, with a total 12 students accepted into the program. Photo courtesy of North Island College.
Anastasia Avvakumova - CKTZ - Cortes Island • BC | 02-02-2022
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North Island College (NIC) in Campbell River is starting another round of tuition-free four-week-long wildfire crew member training at the end of this month. 

Instructor Henry Grierson, who’s been in the forestry and wildfire suppression industry for some 40 years, told CKTZ News that while past students are often young people starting out on their career path, some are also older folks who are looking for a change.

The course will run Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and provide a balance of theoretical and technical knowledge. The curriculum was vetted by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), which means the training is recognized across Canada

The program, which also ran last year, is offered in partnership with Strategic Natural Resource Consultants and is free to successful applicants, thanks to funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement. 

Listen to the full interview with instructor Henry Grierson about what kind of person is a good fit, the challenges and rewards of the job and what to expect in the program:

Download Audio