New docuseries Wildfire features episode on all Indigenous firefighting crew

Knowledge Network is launching a five-part docuseries titled Wildfire on April 29.

Filmed in 2023 during one of the worst wildfire seasons in British Columbia’s history, the series captures the spirit and cutting-edge tactics of frontline B.C. Wildfire Service responders.

Wildfire was created by Optic Nerve Films’ Kevin Eastwood and CK9 Studios’ Simon Shave and Clayton Mitchell. Both Shave and Mitchell are former wildland firefighters.

Knowledge Network is British Columbia’s public education broadcaster. Available throughout the province on television and on streaming platforms across Canada, it features Knowledge Original documentaries commissioned from B.C.-based producers, curated dramas, fact series and documentaries from around the globe, as well as programming for pre-schoolers and parents.

Included in the Wildfire series is an episode highlighting the all-Indigenous Salish unit crew. The show explores how these firefighters navigate their commitment to the forest and their communities during devasting situations.

From initial attack crews to specialized air attack, parattack, and rapattack teams, Wildfire captures units across B.C. banding together in an effort to save the land and rebuild in the aftermath of some of the worst fires in the province’s history.

Viewers will be provided insight into fire behaviour, Indigenous fire keeper knowledge, and cultural practices that shape wildfire management.

Eastwood, executive producer and co-director, said after brainstorming with the other producers and directors about the documentary concept, his research indicated there had been attempts to create such a series in the past.

“The broadcasters I spoke to said it’s all about access,” said Eastwood. “You see, wildfire services just wouldn’t allow us, a (film) crew, to be on the frontline.”

Wildfire producers decided to take their concept to B.C. Wildfire Service, leaning into the team’s firefighting experience.

“(We) presented them with the idea and said ‘look, if it were these two (Mitchell and Shave), who are obviously very well trained and have trained a lot of people that work at these wildfires, a lot of the ground crews, would that be something different?’ And they said ‘yeah, with them this would be different’,” said Eastwood.

In 2022, the team filmed a few short pieces showing they knew how to handle safety protocols without becoming a distraction or disrupting the work of the actual firefighting crews. These short films satisfied B.C. Wildfire.

“So, we got the green light, and we certainly never anticipated that when we started filming it would be what became summer of 2023, which was that unprecedented summer with so much more acres and hectares burned than any other previous year in B.C. history,” said Eastwood.

While putting together the outline for the show, Eastwood and his crew were interested in showcasing the Salish crew members.

“I was very curious because I knew that, obviously, the people that have stewarded this land for millennia know a lot more about fire and the use of fire on the land than almost anybody else,” he said.

“I knew that there used to be a number of all-Indigenous wildfire crews, but there’s only one remaining that’s all 100 per cent Indigenous left, and that’s the Salish crew.”

Eastwood connected with the Salish crew’s unit supervisor Matt Nelson, who was just beginning to fill the position from predecessor Ryan Pascal.

“It was just an interesting and powerful story in itself and both of them, they’re very different, but both Ryan and Matt are just such lovely people, such wonderful human beings and it was such a joy to spend time with both of them and to film them and to tell each of their stories.”

Wildfire was also given the opportunity to capture the importance of the all-Salish unit crew in their communities, showing what a source of inspiration they are to the people.

“They’re obviously doing a really important job and that was just a source of pride for the community,” said Eastwood. “When they know the Salish unit crew, those are the members of their community that are saving people’s lives and saving the land. Once upon a time the only people that were protecting the land from fire were the Indigenous peoples and so I think there’s a strong sense of tradition.”

At one time there were many Indigenous crews, but that number has dwindled due to recruitment happening online, which many community members don’t always have access too. Additionally, the boot camp training space is located in a different geographical area.

Nelson hopes that by showcasing the Salish crew in Wildfire it will prompt other Indigenous people to come forward and train.

“I grew up hunting and fishing and everything. It feels like we’re slowly losing that in communities. Some communities are doing way better than others, but I think just understanding that nature is part of healing and health and wildfire, definitely, will put you out onto the land, which is so important for people… to reconnect to the land,” Nelson said.

Beginning straight out of high school, Nelson applied and went through the wildland firefighter interview process.

He describes the mental training as self-paced as it is completed online. Once that is complete, individuals attend a seven-day bootcamp for the physical training portion.

“You’re there with 90 other students who are like-minded,” explained Nelson. “Then, if you do good in the bootcamp, you get hand-selected for crews.”

Crews vary as some have more Indigenous members than others. Nelson said, when surrounded by others from his community, he appreciates the cultural aspects brought through with Salish traditions.

“I think the biggest piece for me is, if we want to have a debrief or something… we will bring out a drum and sing and it’s just really nice because we will be doing months away from home, away from culture and then one of our guys will bring song to the debriefs,” said Nelson.

Nelson said he has always felt safe with the other crew members as well, because everyone has taken the same level of training and “we all look out for each other.”

Another episode of the Wildfire series focuses on the Rattlers crew, which is comprised mostly of firefighters from Lytton First Nation, which was one of the communities devasted by the wildfires of 2021.

“Although they’re not entirely an all-Indigenous crew, they’re mostly Indigenous,” said Eastwood. “We hear from some of the members of the Rattlers about being members and they talk about what it was like to be on a fire. They were on a different fire that day when their own town, their own village was burned down and so that provides some really powerful stories of just what was at stake.”

Eastwood hopes viewers gain the appreciation he did during filming of how the responders are not just working at a job, but instead how being a member of the B.C. Wildfire Service is a way of life, a choice and a calling to serve.

Wildfire airs Tuesdays from April 29 to May 27 on Knowledge Network, streaming free across Canada at www.knowledge.ca/wildfire and on the Knowledge Network app.

Local Journalism Initiative Reporters are supported by a financial contribution made by the Government of Canada.