Wildland Firefighter – British Columbia Wildfire Service
During the summer co-op term, I have been working as a wildland firefighter for the British Columbia Wildfire Service. Working for the BCWS has opened countless pathways for me and tremendously grown my interest in wildfire and other forest disturbances. In this position I have become familiar with the direct and indirect attack operations of the BCWS as well as developed technical skills around chainsaws, hose and water delivery equipment, forest operational safety and more. The position has also allowed me to train and develop what I have learned in previous forestry semesters, through the outdoor work. My tree identification, pathogen recognition, and disturbance ecology knowledge have all consistently been practiced and advanced.
The co-op program helped me greatly in the early stages of my application, through resume and interview tactics and skills. The program has also helped me acknowledge and reflect on goals and learning objectives I have for myself in the position, as well as communicate these goals productively to my supervisors.