Launched in 2026, the Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program (CPFTP) is an $8 million national initiative designed to strengthen Canada’s capacity for the safe and responsible use of prescribed fire.

This program builds on the success achieved through the Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative, which identified fire suppression as a key factor contributing toward the loss of biodiversity in Canada’s Prairie ecosystems. Through collaboration with Meewasin Valley Authority, the Foundation facilitated the design, development, and launch of the Canadian Prairie Prescribed Fire Exchange (CPPFE), Canada’s first prescribed fire collaborative working to support the use of prescribed fire in land management throughout the Prairies. The CPPFE delivered a proof-of-concept model and highlighted an immediate and critical opportunity to expand the use of prescribed fire across Canada’s diverse and varied landscapes.

The Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program will expand and scale prescribed fire training nationwide, to increase capacity for the safe, effective, and informed use of fire in land management.

The program focuses on:

• Expanding training and mentorship opportunities for practitioners

• Strengthening evidence-informed practice

• Supporting Indigenous-led fire stewardship and cultural fire

• Increasing capacity to enhance biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and community safety

By advancing training and coordination at a national scale, the program aims to normalize the responsible use of prescribed fire as an essential land management tool across Canada’s fire-dependent landscapes.

For more information, please refer to the link: Home | Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program