A Year in Review and the Path Forward: Wildfire Industry Collective's Journey
2023 is in the rear-view mirror, and the Wildfire Industry Collective (WIC) is taking a solid step into 2024 with an eye toward innovation and collaboration in the face of nature's most formidable challenges. But this wouldn’t be any old “ring in the New Year” post without doing some sort of hindsight reflection or year-in-review type thingy. So, I’m inviting you to join me in reflecting on the strides we've made and in anticipating the leaps we'll take together in the coming year.
2023 Recap: Building the Foundations
WIC’s journey, though just beginning, has been marked by significant milestones, as we've banded together with wildland firefighters, industry leaders, and policymakers to forge 21st-century solutions in wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response. Here's what we've accomplished in our six months since inception:
Circle Up Success: We hosted our first annual event “Circle Up”, uniting diverse stakeholders to discuss and devise strategies to combat wildfires. Some had their first exposure to what life on the fireline is like through Gabriel Mann’s captivating film ‘Hotshot,’ while some just came for the food–but all were entertained, informed, and educated.
Policy Engagement: Our engagement with policymakers and subject matter experts across the country has been robust, aiming to shape a sustainable future for wildfire management. Bringing policymakers to Circle Up was significant. But taking WIC’s message to Capitol Hill in December was exciting and a great opportunity to introduce the collective to members and staff.
Technological Advancements: Collaboration with industry leaders has sparked the development of innovative technologies that promise to either modernize or potentially revolutionize how wildland firefighters operate.
Legislative Proposals: The FY25 legislative proposal we brought to Capitol Hill in early December marks a significant step towards securing the necessary situational awareness industry requires to adequately support firefighting and hazardous fuels mitigation efforts.
Expanding Membership: The Collective has grown and is growing, connecting leaders and facilitating collaboration across the wildfire industry and adjacent sectors.
Looking Forward to 2024:
As we look towards 2024, our focus sharpens on furthering our mission through education, advocacy, and evidence development. Our collective aims to:
Deepen Industry Collaborations: Continue to build upon our network of experts to push the envelope in wildfire management solutions.
Advance Policy Initiatives: Take our legislative advocacy to new heights, ensuring that the needs of wildland firefighters and incident managers are addressed.
Enhance Technological Integration: Drive the adoption of breakthrough technologies across the industry for better, faster, and safer wildfire response.
Modernize Durable Goods: Understanding that enhanced technology is another tool in the toolbox, WIC is ensuring that industry is prepared to deliver the most modern durable goods in the form of personal protective equipment and unit level equipment to wildland firefighters doing the dirty work.
In 2024, members can expect to have access to one another as an effective business to business network, regular monthly member meetings, quarterly webinars that are exclusive to members, as well as access to our in-person events. WIC knows from firsthand experience that the fight against wildfires is a collaborative endeavor, and your involvement is crucial.
Joining WIC is straightforward and ensures that you are part of shaping a safer future. You may be able to go faster alone, but we know we can go further together.
