Fire on the Horizon: How South Florida is training future fire leaders to meet the Nation’s upcoming wildfire challenges

Ignition Operations and Holding Crews work together to ignite a piece of line during prescribed fire operations in South Florida.

Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

The smoke column could be seen from 40 miles out across South Florida’s sun-filled sky. This was the first large wildfire of the season and crews had made their way to the fire and were quickly taking action. They were evaluating and beginning to protect the threatened structures ahead of the fire front. Crews were performing at their best as they had already been training by conducting prescribed fires all winter. When the first wildfire of the season struck, the crews were ready.

This type of proficiency does not happen by accident, it’s crafted into reality through planning, training, and execution and it’s critical to the success of fire management nationwide.  Climate change is shifting the dynamic nature of fuels management at a time when social constraints have made it difficult to recruit and retain required employees to meet the increasing demand on land managers.  

Burn Boss Trainee and Arizona State Firefighter gives the morning briefing prior to prescribed fire ignition operations.

Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

In response, South Florida Fire and Aviation (SFFA) is building mutually beneficial coalitions with agencies from around the country to help train and utilize required skillsets to meet the fire management workloads. The strategy is to utilize proactive prescribed fire to treat the ecosystem on a landscape level under moderate conditions, while simultaneously training the future generation of wildland firefighters. Thanks in part to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, SFFA was able to establish and fund several interagency agreements with Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), United States Forest Service, Alaska Fire Service, and State partners to recruit and train employees during the winter months, while the west remained under snow. 

Region One Firing Boss Trainee request a right hand turn to evaluate the last pass during aerial ignition operations on the 7-Palm Rx Prescribed Fire Treatment in Everglades National Park.

Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

In FY23, more than 100 firefighters from land management agencies across the nation converged in South Florida to implement prescribed fire operations in excess of 231,000 acres across Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park. These operations not only treated a quarter million acres of fire adapted public lands, which helped to protect infrastructure and reduce the risk of wildfires in surrounding communities, but it had the added benefit of providing multiple employees with the necessary training to further assist with the western fire season workload. 

Throughout FY23, over 20 task books were signed off for qualifications such as Burn Boss, Task Force Leader, Division Supervisor, Fire Effects Monitor, Helicopter Manager, Helicopter Crewmember, Plastic Sphere Dispenser operator, Engine Boss, Firefighter Type 1, and more. SFFA was able to manage the land at the level necessary to create healthy and resilient ecosystems, which in return, through an abundance of cooperation, provided numerous opportunities that prepared the agencies’ firefighting staff for the upcoming western fire season. 

Region One Forest Service Fire Fighters assist with backhaul missions on the Airplane Prescribed Fire Treatment in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Michael Gue, South Florida Prescribed Fire Manager, NPS

“South Florida is the ultimate training ground for the upcoming wildfire season. When it’s time to assist with fire response in the Western United States, South Florida fire crews have been actively managing both prescribed fires and wildfires all winter... it’s just another day doing what we do best” added John Worsley, Everglades National Park Engine Captain. 

Learn more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded projects.

This project was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Wildland Fire, signed on November 15, 2021. It is a historic investment in the restoration and protection of the environment. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Infrastructure (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)