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A proud history

Three men and a woman stand in front of a red truck.

Feature image:
Wildland firefighters Bobby Kenoras, Linda Gaze, Fire Warden Jake Jacobson, and Brian Johnny.

Photo credit:
Deborah Chapman, Salmon Arm Museum, c. 2013

Wildland firefighters Bobby Kenoras, Linda Gaze, Fire Warden Jake Jacobson, and Brian Johnny got together 15 years after they fought the Silver Creek Fire. They had fond memories of working with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry.

“Those guys were in really good shape,” they all agreed.

Since the Silver Creek Fire in 1998, more than 50 Shuswap First Nations women and men have fought Wildland fires in the Shuswap  region. Their contribution is part of a long and proud history of First Nations service in forest protection.

Years ago, firefighters would hike into a fire, build a camp, and stay there for several weeks while fighting the fire. One of the group would often hunt wild game to feed the crew-members. This history extends beyond the Shuswap. Such a tradition of service is nation-wide and, as a result, there is a strong presence of First Nation’s firefighters throughout Canada.