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Lead Fire Guardian - General

Job Description

Environmental Protection Division 

Re-Posting

Term - 3 Years 

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION:

With the largest reserve in Canada, the Blood Tribe/Káínai in southern Alberta seeks to put good fire back on our traditional lands in a manner that is community-led and informed with support from Parks Canada and our sister Nation (Blackfeet Nation) in the United States of America.

The Lead Fire Guardian will establish a sustainable year-round Blood Tribe Fire Guardian Program that supports a wholistic approach to Indigenous-led conservation: preventing and mitigating wildfires on the Blood Tribe landscape while restoring habitats for culturally relevant keystone species such as the bison (IInnii).

The successful candidate will manage and coordinate the following activities:

• recruiting, selecting and training Blood Tribe fire guardians (e.g., Assistant Fire Guardians and Fire Guardian Trainees);

• developing culturally relevant fire resources (e.g., cultural burn plans);

• engaging in cultural burning demonstration and cross-training events;

• collecting, monitoring and reporting on cultural burning data (before, during and after burns).

The incumbent will work with Blood Tribe Elders, Knowledge Holders, community members, Departments and Entities, and provincial and federal government and non-government agencies. 

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports to the Environmental Protection Manager

AREAS OF SUPERVISION:  

• Supervises Assistant Fire Guardian and Fire Guardian Trainees

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Performs all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Blood Tribe Administration Policies and Procedures and the Blood Tribe Land Management Department Policy Manual. 

1. Maintain a presence throughout the territory on behalf of the Blood Tribe

• Conduct fire monitoring throughout territory (including occasional multi-day trips)

• Wear their fire guardian uniforms in the course of duty

• Approach and engage with community members, orders of government and visitors on the Blood Tribe territory about fire guardianship, includes providing information about the Blood Tribe and its fire history;

• Interact with resource users, includes oil and gas companies, ranchers; and

• Respond to community emergencies and community safety issues such as wildfires that require immediate attention.

2. Monitor and collect data

• Collect and record fire data (fire monitoring), related to the health of Blood Tribe lands, ecological and cultural values and the impacts of fire use on these values – includes the impacts of climate change on the Blood Tribe territory;

• Collaborate with Elders and Knowledge Keepers/Carriers to document fire history, Indigenous-led fire practices and cultural sites; monitor impacts of fire on the territory (pre, during and post fire);

• Ensure all fire data are entered on a regular basis into the database and data are kept secure;

• Report on results of all fire monitoring efforts to appropriate Blood Tribe staff in a timely manner;

• Support cultural burn planning initiatives and priorities in select area(s) of the Blood Tribe territory (with guidance from Elders and Knowledge Keepers/Carriers);

• Provide fire guardian support to projects as needed.

3. Respond to reports of concern

• Respond to community reports regarding illegal or suspicious fire activities in the Blood Tribe territory.

4. Build relationships

• Build and maintain productive relationships with the Blood Tribe Fire Department;

• Build and maintain productive relationships with federal and provincial agency staff.

- Conduct community outreach and education

• Share knowledge and educate community members about Blood Tribe fire issues (e.g., grass fires), Indigenous-led fire practices and protocols, and Fire Guardian activities;

• Support Blood Tribe communications by participating in open houses, submitting articles for community newsletter and contributing photos to Blood Tribe social media;

• Work with the KáínaiBoard of Education and local area schools to raise awareness with the Youth about the Fire Guardian program and activities. Serve as a role model for Youth and Fire Guardian Trainees;

• Train Assistant Fire Guardian and Fire Guardian Trainees in Indigenous-led fire practices;

• Coordinate fire camps and exchanges (regional, national, and international) to support Indigenous fire guardian mentorship.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS:

Knowledge and Experience

• Familiar with Blackfoot Ecological Knowledge and ability to communicate in the Blackfoot language;

• Possess relevant knowledge of Indigenous-led fire practices and non-Indigenous wildland fire management;

• Has strong leadership and supervisory skills; includes experience managing staff and coordinating projects;

• Strong knowledge of Blood Tribe territory and values;

• Familiarity with our Blood Tribe fire protocols as well as federal and provincial wildland fire management laws and regulations;

• Has working knowledge of computer hardware and software, includes word processing, spreadsheets, databases, web browsers, GIS and GPS.

Personal Suitability

• Has good verbal and written communication skills; is able to interact with community members and visitors in a polite and positive manner;

• Has good proposal writing skills (e.g., contract proposal writing for wildland firefighting crew bids);

• Confident, comfortable, and assertive in addressing wildland fire issues with community members and resource users;
• Dependable, motivated and demonstrates a strong work ethic;

• Shows initiative and is a collaborator;

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to the Blood Tribe Fire Guardian program vision;

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to returning good fire back to the Blood Tribe territory and culture;

• Ability to work irregular work hours, including some overtime and overnight trips;

• Maintains confidentiality;

• Motivates team members and is able to work as part of a team;

• Possesses a high level of record-keeping and reporting skills;

• Is able to carry out duties and responsibilities promptly and courteously and always maintain professionalism;

• Is highly motivated with excellent initiative and an ability to work independently;

• Is physically fit;

• Has reliable transportation;

Qualifications

TRAINING AND RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Must have current wildland firefighting certificates: or completed course work related to wildland fire management and fire ecology with a minimum of two to three years work experience.

Required certificates:

• S-100: Basic Fire Suppression and Safety
• S-130: Fundamentals of Firefighting
• S-185: Safety/Fire Entrapment Avoidance
• S-190: Fire Behaviour and Safety
• ICS-100: Introduction to Incident Command
• WHMIS/TDG
• Wilderness Safety and Survival First Aid

Preferred certificates:

• Basic Chainsaw Operator Training
• Danger Tree Assessor
• Navigation/Handheld GPS/Compass/Maps and Scale
• S-211: Introduction to Weather & Fire Environment (The Fire Environment for Firefighters)
• S-212: Fireline Communications
• S-213: Use of Bulldozers and Heavy Equipment (Heavy Equipment Operations)
• S-230: Introduction to Single Resource Leader/Introduction to Supervision
• S-232: Portable Pumps and Water Delivery Systems
• S-235: Ignition Operations (Burning Off and Backfiring)
• S-241: Fire Assessment
• ICS-200: Incident Command System

• Must have a valid Class 5 Driver’s License and a reliable mode of transportation.

How to Apply

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a cover letter, resume, and copies of your credentials to:

Blood Tribe Administration Human Resources

P.O. Box 60

Standoff AB, T0L 1Y0

Attention: Marlene Blood

OR APPLY ONLINE @ www.bloodtribehr.comand/or [email protected]

DEADLINE: May 30, 2025

Late and/or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. For more information, please call Marlene Blood @ (403) 737-8219

Closing Date