Pilot Conservation Corps Program Offers Women Training and Experience in Wildland Fire

Yosemite Crew, physical training hike up Turtleback Dome with Yosemite Valley and Half Dome in background.

In summer 2021, the NPS Wildland Fire Program created two all-women conservation corps fire crews at Yosemite and Grand Teton National Parks, a pilot initiative funded with a $200,000 grant from the National Park Foundation. "The initiative was a great success from our perspective,” said Yosemite National Park Deputy Fire Management Officer Kelly Singer. “The crews did some excellent work in Yosemite Valley and were able to accomplish a lot. You could really tell they took a lot of pride in what they did, and their quality of work was right on par with our in-park crews.”

The crews, comprised of six women each, focused on fuels management projects that decrease the risk of severe wildland fire to local communities, help maintain healthy park ecosystems, and create opportunities for safe fire response. The program provided the women hands-on training; by the time they began their assignments, each team member met standards set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and qualified as Firefighter Type 2 and Faller 3.

These types of initiatives allow for a more robust and resilient workforce. A diverse workforce will bring unique perspectives, skill sets, and knowledge bases. By increasing diversity, the NPS Wildland Fire Program will be able to find new and innovative ways to address complex challenges such as climate change, extended periods of drought, longer and more intense fire seasons, and communities expanding into the wildland urban interface.

Members of Grand Teton crew on a fire assignment in California.

“Women make up less than 5% of the National Park Service Wildland Fire Program leadership at the park level and less than 2% at regional and national levels,” said Mel Whitenack, wildland fire training specialist who coordinated the crews at the national level. “We’re hopeful that their experience with the women’s fire corps crews will empower them and encourage them to apply for National Park Service wildland fire management positions moving forward." The crews were employed through a partnership with the California Conservation Corps and Montana Conservation Corps. In August, after they completed the commitment to the conservation corps, many of the crew members from both teams were hired as administratively determined (AD) firefighters going out on wildfire and prescribed fire assignments. “This has been a wonderful experience showing us all the different aspects of fire and all the different avenues we can go down,” said Grand Teton crew lead Erin Murr. “So, I know that no matter where I end up, I am learning skills that are going to assist me in that, whether it is conflict resolution, saw skills, or leadership skills. And I think I am definitely going to try the fire route for a couple of years and see how I like it.” While the program started small with two crews, the NPS is looking to build on the success and expand the program in future years. “We are really pleased with how well the program worked in its inaugural year; the best part of my job was seeing the women grow and excel,” noted Whitenack. “We hope that we will be able to build the program in coming years to host many more crews in many more parks.”