2023-24 Lake County Cal-TREX

What is TREX?

A TREX, short for “Training Exchange” is a cooperative burning model that services the needs of diverse entities, including tribes, federal and state agencies, private landowners, community members, NGO’s, academics and international partners—while incorporating local values and issues to build the right kinds of capacity in the right places.

The Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA) is leading up the coordination of Lake County’s 2nd annual Prescribed Fire and Cultural Burning Training Exchange, in collaboration with many great partners. It is TERA’s goal to center the worldview of Indigenous land stewardship in our TREX program, to build capacity in Native communities and approach burning through an EcoCultural lens.

When is it?

This year our TREX is divided in two main components:

1) Pre-Fire Training Events and (Sept - Oct 2023)

2) Burning with our EcoCultural Fire Crew (EFC) (Oct 2023 - June 2024)

Individuals should fill out both applications if you want to attend pre-fire trainings and participate in burns.

If you are only interested in burning and not attending other pre-fire training, you just need to sign up for the EcoCultural Fire Crew, which will register you for the Oct 17-18 Tactical Fire Training, a prerequisite for joining the On-Call Crew.

Priority acceptance for Tribal Members from Lake and Mendocino County. Stipends also available for Tribal Members who specify need on their application.

Upcoming Pre-Fire Trainings: (apply here)

• Cultural Fire, Wednesday Sept 6th (1-Day Course)

• RT-130 Fireline Refresher, Saturday Sept 23rd (prerequisite: FFT2) (1-Day Course)

• Basic 32 Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2), Monday-Friday, Sept 25th-29th (5-Day course)

• S-219 Firing Operations, Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct 3rd-4th (prerequisite: FFT2) (2-Day course)

• Tactical Fire Training, Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct 17th-18th - (2-Day course) Required to join the EcoCultural Fire Crew

EcoCultural Fire Crew (EFC): (apply here)

Those accepted onto our EcoCultural Fire Crew will be expected to attend at least 6 of the pre-scheduled burn windows (listed below) and will also be on-call as favorable burn windows emerge through June 2024.  Crew Members will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, fire effects monitoring, mop-up, and patrol on prescribed and cultural burns. In the event that conditions are not favorable on these dates, we will conduct trainings that will build our capacity to implement ecoculturally oriented burns. Examples of training topics include FEMO (Fire Effects Monitoring), Securing the Fireline, EcoCultural Prep Work, and much more!

Scheduled dates:

Oct 19-20, Thursday-Friday

Nov 1-2, Wednesday-Thursday

Nov 15-16, Wednesday-Thursday

Nov 28-29, Tuesday-Wednesday

Dec 16-17, Saturday-Sunday

Jan 12-13, Friday-Saturday

Feb 28-29, Wednesday-Thursday

March 25-26, Monday-Tuesday

April 12-13, Friday-Saturday

May 8-9, Wednesday-Thursday

June 12-13, Wednesday-Thursday

How it works:

• Apply to participate in the EcoCultural Fire Crew

• Put the dates listed above in your calendar to hold for possible burning - and remember that Mother Nature is ultimately in charge of when we can burn.

• Attend the Oct 17-18 Tactical Drills Training

  • If you are only interested in burning and this training, and not attending other pre-fire training, you just need to sign up for the EcoCultural Fire Crew

• Once accepted, we’ll send an email before scheduled burn days to let you know if

  • 1) we’re aiming for live fire

  • 2) no live fire, but we will host a training or

  • 3) nothing will be happening on the date

In addition to these dates, we will also schedule burns outside of these days when conditions and windows are favorable. We are hoping to have at least 15-20 days of live fire from October 2023 - June 2024.

Who can participate: These events are for individuals interested in improving their fire knowledge and becoming better practitioners of Good Fire.  Beginners, non-professionals, and fire professionals are all welcome. The event will be focused on local capacity building within Lake County and surrounding areas.

No prior experience or training is necessary. However, we highly encourage (but do not require) all those interested in participating on prescribed and cultural burns to receive their Firefighter Type 2 certification.

You can earn your FFT2 in the following ways:

• Apply for our FFT2 course taking place on Sept 25-29

• If you had a previous certification, take the RT-130 with us on Sept 23

• You can complete your Firefighter Type 2 coursework online

  • You will still need to attend a S-130 field day and complete the pack test and shelter deployment to qualify as a FFT2. We will be offering the opportunity to take a pack test and shelter deployment during our FFT2 course and RT-130 and can apply with us to complete that portion of your certification.

Burning opportunities on Federal Land will only be available to participants who have the FFT2 certification.

We will require participation in the Oct 17-18 Tactical Fire Training to join the EcoCultural Fire On-Crew. To apply for the EcoCultural Fire Crew, complete the application here

I live here. Will I see smoke/fires in my community during TREX?  Yes!  As we revitalize the traditional practice of Indigenous cultural burning, you will be seeing more smoke and prescribed fires in your community over the coming fall and winter.  As always, folks lighting good fire in your community will have notified the Lake County Air Quality Management District, CAL FIRE, and most likely your community Facebook page. We also recommend the Watch Duty app to find out where many prescribed fires are being lit. 

I own land!  I would love to underburn it! How can I get you to come help me out?  We are working with Tribes and landowners to plan burn units for the fall, and train folks up to join our EcoCultural Fire Crew and be part of putting good fire on the ground. Contact us if you are a landowner interested in hosting a burn on your land.

I'm a journalist. Can I come watch your prescribed fire training?  Yes, but we are currently looking for a PIO (public information officer) to help us facilitate media presence at our trainings and events. Contact us if you are interested in covering a burn or training event.

OK, I've applied to train and/or join the EcoCultural Fire Crew. What happens next? Please wait to hear from us if you’ve been accepted into a pre-fire training and/or the EcoCultural Fire Crew. We prioritize registration for Tribal Members from Lake and Mendocino County. We will notify you via email once you’ve been accepted, with information on training location, parking, required supplies and gear, and local lodging options.

Logistics: Most or all meals will be on your own, so expect to bring your own food and water.  All participants are expected to be self-sufficient through the duration of the training. The most up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols will be adhered to, including but not limited to mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand washing.  Participation will be limited to individuals traveling from low-risk areas and/or those willing to practice isolation prior to the training events.

Questions: Email any questions to admin@tribalecorestoration.org

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR FUNDERS!

Lake County Cal-TREX is made possible with funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program through a Fire Prevention Grant to Robinson Rancheria.

A Business Workforce Development grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will support participation in the TREX.