Indigenous Fire Stewardship: The State of Play, 2026 - Canada
September 23, 2026
Indigenous Nations and communities have had an important relationship with fire since time immemorial. With interest in Indigenous Fire Stewardship growing significantly over the past five years, this report examines the current “state of play” related to Indigenous Fire Stewardship in Canada.
Written by Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson, it provides a snapshot of where things stand, where they are headed, what barriers slow progress, and what policies will enable continued growth and success. The Indigenous Leadership Initiative offers this overview for discussion among Guardians, Indigenous Nations, government departments, fire agencies, researchers, and funders.
Pathway 1: Sustainable Long-term Funding: This is vital to ensure programs grow at the scale needed to generate healthier landscapes without constantly chasing funding.
Pathway 2: Supporting an Indigenous Workforce: Building a trained workforce will spread the benefits of Indigenous fire stewardship across the country. ILI recommends focusing on:
Supporting Guardians in fire and emergency response
Launching Fire Guardians programs that perform on year-round fire stewardship
Supporting Nations to develop fire stewardship plans for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
Pathway 3: Enabling Policy: Supportive policies are also critical. They include simplifying complex jurisdictions for wildfire and emergency management, developing fire stewardship plans for communities, and creating Indigenous-led research and evaluation frameworks.
