05/30/2026
Wildfire 🔥 season is on everyone’s mind … Temagami Fire Department is preparing!
Check out this commentary from one of our new recruits about their experiences so far….
It’s that time of year again when wildfires become a threat. In preparation for this, the Temagami Fire Department has been engaged in training specifically geared towards wildland fires and the dangers they present to urban centers that intermingle with the natural environment. Through this training we seek to fulfill one of our fire service mission goals, which is to protect against fire threats to persons and property from natural events. What we love about Temagami - our close proximity to our beautiful forest and the nature it supports - can also bring danger even before the dry season comes. Whether by lightning or a multitude of human factors, wildland fires pose a serious threat to urban centers and dwellings in the middle of wilderness.
Did you know we already had our first call to a wildland fire while snow could still be found in the bush? May 3rd we responded to a hydro line down that sparked a ground cover fire. Only twenty days later, May 23rd, we responded again to a similar fire sparked by a tree on the hydro line.
Our May 23rd fire came shortly after we had in-class theory on wildland fire behavior. The fire on scene showed just how important it is to continue to train and be prepared for these threats. Training allowed us to quickly identify the heel of the fire and direction of travel. This gave us a plan of attack, detailing where to locate our pumper, and where to run hose to start our attack on the flanks of the fire as we worked our way towards the head. We had water on fire within eleven minutes of arrival on scene. This included gearing up, setting up a draft from Lowell Lake, and running hose to the start of our attack on the fire flanks. One of our biggest obstacles was the terrain itself, uphill with many trees to work around. Thankfully the wind was light and blowing in a favourable direction, allowing us to get the fire contained within 36 minutes.
May 25th we were back at our training ground doing live fire training with more wildland firefighting techniques to continue to hone our skills and response times. This is what we are doing to be the most effective team we can be as your community volunteer fire department.
What can you do to help to minimize fire risk? Actually quite a lot. FireSmart™️ Canada is a national program that helps increase neighbourhood resistance to wildfire and reduce its negative impact. It was designed specifically to target areas where urban meets wildland, just like ours.
Our next post will detail some of the easiest ways you can implement FireSmart™️ practices at your property to help reduce the risk. If you’d like to find out more now, please visit FireSmart Canada
