Washington Prescribed Fire Council

The Washington Prescribed Fire Council brings together a broad and diverse network of individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing the safe, effective, and expanded use of prescribed fire. Our membership includes state and federal agencies, Tribes, non-profit organizations, private landowners, researchers, fire practitioners, and others who play a role in fire-adapted landscapes. With representation from over 50 organizations, the Council is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors and Steering Committee who help shape our strategic direction and collaborative efforts across the state.

Board of Directors

Lucas King, Executive Committee Member
Mt. Adams Resource Stewards
lucas@mtadamsstewards.org

Jeff Dimke, Executive Committee Member
WA Department of Natural Resources
jeffrey.dimke@dnr.wa.gov

Fiona Edwards, Chair
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
fiona.edwards@dfw.wa.gov

Katie Fields, Vice Chair
Washington Conservation Action
katie@waconservationaction.org

Matthew Danielson, Executive Committee Member
Conservation Northwest
mdanielson@conservationnw.org

Mark Charlton, Treasurer
The Nature Conservancy
mark.charlton@tnc.org

    • Aaron Rowe, USFS

    • Brandon Schmidt, Kittitas County Fire District 1

    • Chris Martin, Roslyn Fire Department

    • Colin Sternagel, Cascadia PBA

    • Ernesto Alvarado, University of Washington

    • Greg Isaac, Chewack FireWise

    • Hilary Lundgren, Resource Legacy Fund

    • Jennifer Coe, WA State Conservation Commission

    • Joe Hill, Cascadia Conservation District

    • John Richardson, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fish & Wildlife

    • Kara Karboski, WA Resource Conservation & Development Council

    • Kyle Lapham, WA Department of Natural Resources

    • Martha Hankins, WA Department of Ecology: AQ Policy and Planning Section Manager

    • Mason (Lea) McKinley, Ecostudies Institute

    • Matt Eberlein, WA Department of Fish & Wildlife

    • Noah Hellmund, WA Department of Natural Resources

    • Patrick Shults, Northwest Fire Science Consortium

    • Rob Lionberger, Lionberger Fire & Forestry

    • Sam Israel, North Cascades PBA

    • Sam Steinshower, WA Department of Natural Resources

    • Sarah Hamman, Ecostudies Institute

    • Skippy Shaw, The Nature Conservancy

    • Todd Graves, Chewack FireWise

    • Tonya Neider, National Park Service, North Cascades NP / Lake Roosevelt NRA

    • Will Strand, WA Department of Ecology: AQ Central Region Section Manager

WPFC Bylaws
Policies and Procedures

History

When Dale Swedberg took over the management of over 20,000 acres of fire-dependent wildlife habitat in north central Washington, he realized that his success as a land manager would rely on the reintroduction of fire to the ecosystem.

Yet he also knew that the reintroduction of fire would be an onerous process, one that would require careful planning, collaboration, and the support of regulatory agencies. In 2004, Dale discovered prescribed fire councils, which were becoming well-established in the southeastern United States at the time, and he decided that a prescribed fire council could be just what he needed to get prescribed fire on the ground in North Central Washington (NCW). Dale spearheaded the North Central Washington Prescribed Council; he hosted meetings, and brought representatives from councils in Florida to share their knowledge and experience with the NCW prescribed fire community.

Increasing interest in and need for prescribed fire across the state inspired Dale and others to propose the formation of a statewide council in 2011. The premise behind the statewide council is that although the challenges to prescribed burning may vary across different regions of the state, there is power in collaboration. The statewide council is able to address larger issues than regional councils, and is positioned to more fruitfully engage with national efforts, like those initiated by the Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils.  

Strategic Plan

Annual Conferences

The annual Washington Prescribed Fire Council conferences convene stakeholders from around Washington state and the Pacific Northwest to learn about prescribed fire in Washington, create and renew relationships, and work towards ways to expand the safe and effective use of prescribed fire. These conferences are important for reviewing the past year’s fire season and looking toward the coming season, while engaging training, policy, and outreach opportunities.