Initial Attack Crews

Initial attack firefighters operate as three-person crews and are usually the first on the scene of a new wildfire. Initial attack crews are highly mobile and are often relocated to help fight wildfires throughout the province or elsewhere in North America. There are more than 330 initial attack firefighters stationed at approximately 50 bases around the province, strategically placed where fires historically break out. Once firefighters are at the fire, the crews work quickly to set up water pumps, remove fuel from the fire's path using chainsaws, pulaskis or shovels, and dig fire guards to control or extinguish the blaze. Crews are self-sufficient can remain on a fire for up to 24 hours without re-supply. There is a 200 lb weight limit in effect for initial attack personnel.

Rapattack Crews

During the summer months, lightning storms often illuminate British Columbia's skies. Lightning-caused fires most often occur at higher elevations in inaccessible terrain. Historically, these fires ignited in dense timber and would burn unchecked until crews could hike in and fight the blaze.

Rapattack firefighters use helicopters and rope rappelling techniques to drop into remote areas and attack these lightning-caused fires while they are still small.

Rapattack crews are also used on larger fires, where they will remove timber to create a helicopter landing location so additional crews and equipment can be strategically located around the fire's perimeter. Crews are self-sufficient can remain on a fire for up to 24 hours without re-supply.

Like all firefighters, candidates for the Rapattack program must be physically fit, highly motivated and unequivocally focused on teamwork. In addition, the nature of the work, using a helicopter and rappel technique, requires crew members to weigh no more than 175lbs (79.4 kilograms) body weight.

The Rapattack Program operates out of the training and residential base in Salmon Arm and shares its office with the Salmon Arm Fire Zone staff. The 12 3-person provincial rappel crews also fill the initial attack crew requirements of the local Salmon Arm Fire Zone. The Rapattack Coordination Officer maintains 24-hour contact with Fire Centres, and can provide technical and strategic advice on rappel and helitanker operations.

Parattack Crews

The Parattack program is a smokejumping operation based in Fort St. John. Smokejumping deploys firefighters and equipment by parachute from fixed-wing aircraft, as opposed to the conventional helicopter response. This allows more personnel and equipment to be deployed faster and over greater distances. The resource is well suited for fires in the boreal forests of the North and can also respond to fires throughout the province.

A DeHavilland Twin Otter aircraft is configured with two three-person initial attack smokejumping teams and a command spotter. With two crews on the aircraft, the spotter can deploy them together on a larger target or separately on multiple targets. Parattack can also be re-configured as a twenty-person unit crew.

The standard equipment load is 1,400 pounds of equipment including two high-pressure pump kits, 4,600 feet of hose, two chainsaw kits, overnight gear, and food and water for 48 hours. There is also a full-size trauma kit on board the aircraft.

No previous parachuting experience is required but candidates must have a minimum one year firefighting experience. Out of province applicants apply through the firefighter recruitment process, while current BCFS firefighters follow the voluntary relocation process.

Training includes two weeks of ground training, followed by ten certification jumps, and involves rigorous daily physical activity. Crew members must maintain a dressed weight under two hundred pounds.

Unit Crews

Each year, a small percentage of fires grow to sizes that require firefighters and resources beyond normal suppression needs. In B.C., 28 highly-trained and coordinated 20-person unit crews are available for deployment to these larger fires. A unit crew may be broken into smaller groups depending on the nature of fire activity.

Unit crews establish pumps and hose lines, dig fire guards, use chainsaws, and burn off fuel from the fire's path. Work can take firefighters into difficult terrain amidst dry, hot, and smoky conditions for up to 14 days.

When away from their base, they may live in a temporary fire camp with few amenities. Crews are self-sufficient can remain on a fire for up to 72 hours without re-supply.

Like their initial attack counterparts, unit crews are highly mobile and can be called away from their base to work on fires anywhere in British Columbia or North America.

The B.C. Forest Service has made arrangements with contractors that provide firefighters province-wide to help with fire suppression during the fire season.

All contract crew members are Type 2 firefighters and are called to assist with wildfires that have lower intensity and present a lower risk to firefighter safety. These crews perform initial attack and sustained action on smouldering fires (Rank 1-2). Typically, they are used in wildfires that are considered to be contained, under control, or in mop-up stage.

Crew members must have some fireline experience, meet basic physical fitness standards, and have completed the S-100 Basic Fire Suppression training and other safety courses such as Level 1 first aid and transportation of dangerous goods. The Ministry of Forests and Range has access to the services of approximately 500 to 800 Type 2 firefighters through standing offer fire suppression contracts offered each year.

All wildland firefighters employed by the B.C. Forest Service are highly trained professionals who meet or exceed national standards in their training. Because fighting forest fires is hazardous and exhausting work, we are obligated to use professional wildland firefighters who are trained, physically fit and properly equipped.

Untrained firefighters are not employed on the B.C. fire lines.

We are working closely with the contract community and are looking at how we can best fit our resource needs with their availability.

Contractors are valuable resources that compliment our crews, preparation, and response.

When B.C. is responding to high numbers of fires, or particularly active fires requiring many resources, we may call upon assistance from other countries and provinces. The Canadian Mutual Aid Resource Sharing Agreement and Northwest Compact allow us to lend and borrow resources as needed.

All out-of-province resource requests are coordinated through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC). Costs of bringing in these additional resources are paid for by the Ministry and Forests and Range, Wildfire Branch.

The B.C. Forest Service uses professional wildland firefighters who are trained and have expertise in dealing with adverse conditions and extreme fire behaviour. For safety reasons, we want to ensure that anyone fighting fires has the necessary training.

Resources brought in from out of province are utilized in Type 1 roles and are highly specialized duties, typically servicing on Incident Management Teams. The assistance we receive from agencies outside of the province augments our initial attack capacity and does not take work away from local qualified and available companies.

Type 3 firefighters are a contingency resource, typically trained and called to action when other firefighting resources are running short. These firefighters require close supervision, have very limited experience and typically perform mop-up, patrols, camp demobilization and other support functions.

Type 3 firefighters must understand the difficult working conditions involved in fire suppression and be in good physical health. They must also complete the two-day S-100 Basic Fire Suppression and Safety training course.