Build and Mobilize Foundational Wildland Fire Knowledge
Funding opportunity - OPEN for applications until May 14, 2024 – Apply now!
About the program
With $48 Million to invest over 4 years starting in April 2024, the Build and Mobilize Foundational Wildland Fire Knowledge Program aims to encourage collaborative research and demonstration projects focused on innovation in wildfire risk assessment, risk mitigation, and adaptive forest management as per the Blueprint for Wildland Fire Science in Canada.
This new program will address gaps in foundational knowledge by developing and evaluating wildland fire risk assessment and risk mitigation strategies and technologies that support Indigenous peoples, local and provincial/territorial governments and fire management agencies to reduce wildfire risk in the face of a changing climate.
Within this program, the Supporting and Mobilizing Indigenous Fire Knowledge grant focuses on building and enhancing capacity to support Indigenous communities in identifying and managing their own wildfire risk. It is informed by Indigenous knowledge and land management practices, and provides support for knowledge sharing and the development of tools and resources by and for Indigenous communities.
Wildland fire risk
Risk is understood as the product of the hazard of wildland fire, and its subsequent impacts on people, resources and assets of concern. The hazard of wildland fire is further composed of its likelihood of occurrence, and its magnitude (for example, intensity and/or rate of spread).
The impact of a fire is considered relative to specific communities, resources and assets. It is composed of exposure to the wildfire and susceptibility to harm. Likelihood, magnitude, susceptibility, and exposure are considered the four “elements” of wildland fire risk.
Two types of funding
Contribution funding
Open for applications
Contribution funding consists of non-repayable contributions to support collaborative research projects and demonstration sites. Building on an existing foundation of wildfire research, emphasis will be placed on fostering new collaborations and partnerships among researchers, decision makers, the forest industry, Indigenous and forest-based communities, government, and non-government organizations.
Grant funding
Open for applications
Grant funding consists of non-repayable grants to Indigenous-led projects that support the development of resources and dissemination of knowledge by and for Indigenous communities. This includes activities to strengthen community readiness and explore ways to develop cultural practices and fire-management knowledge among Indigenous communities.
Indigenous, Metis and First Nations proponents are eligible to apply for either type of funding.
Program research themes
The program will support initiatives that advance knowledge in the following three themes.
Theme 1: Wildfire risk assessment
Priority research topics:
- Developing methods and baseline data for risk assessments at community and regional scales
- Integrating multiple values including air quality, carbon balance, fibre recovery
- Leveraging new technologies to accelerate risk assessments
- Leveraging new technologies, and integration of research into predictive models and decision-making tools
Theme 2: Wildfire risk mitigation
Priority research topics:
- Testing and demonstrating the real-world feasibility, cost and effectiveness of prevention or mitigation strategies or technologies, including new approaches
- Understanding social acceptability of different interventions
- Creating awareness that leads to action by increasing the efficacy of education, outreach, and mobilization strategies
- Estimating the effects of relevant risk-reduction interventions, including return on investment
Theme 3: Adaptive forestry practices
Priority research topics:
- Testing and demonstrating enhanced fibre recovery from fuel management activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offset the costs of treatment
- Developing approaches to integrate wildfire risk reduction as an outcome in forest management practices
- Identifying, testing, and demonstrating new forest management practices that minimize impacts of future wildland fires
Types of projects and eligibility
Type 1 - Collaborative research: catalyze research partnerships across the range of players in the innovation ecosystem including academic institutions and other research-based organizations/institutions, industry and land-managers.
| Eligible recipients | Stacking limit |
|---|---|
| Indigenous organizations, groups and communities | Up to 100% |
| Not-for-profit organizations | Up to 100% |
| Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies | Up to 100% |
| Canadian academic institutions | Up to 75% |
| For profit organizations | Up to 75% |
Type 2 - Demonstration sites - place-based partnerships to test and showcase innovative adaptive vegetation management and forestry practices in an operational context.
| Eligible recipients | Stacking limit |
|---|---|
| Indigenous organizations, groups and communities | Up to 75% |
| Not-for-profit organizations | Up to 75% |
| Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies | Up to 75% |
| Canadian academic institutions | Up to 75% |
| For profit organizations | Up to 75% |
Funding matching requirement: For all proposed projects, 50% of the NRCan funding must be matched by the recipient.
Type 3 - Grant supporting and mobilizing Indigenous fire knowledge: support the development of tools and resources and dissemination of knowledge by and for Indigenous communities. Strengthen community readiness by exploring ways to incorporate cultural practices and knowledge of Indigenous communities in fire management.
| Eligible recipients | Stacking limit |
|---|---|
| Indigenous organizations, groups and communities | Up to 100% |
Stacking limit refers to the total amount of government funding for the proposed project (including all federal, provincial, municipal assistance for the same eligible expenditures).
How to apply and key dates
Step 1. Read the Applicant guidebook.
Step 2. Download the Application form and the Project budget and workplan [30 kb Excel]. Complete both forms.
Step 3. Submit your completed application package by email, including the Application Form, the Project Budget and Workplan, and all attachments that you have identified in your application before May 14, 2024, 11:59 pm PST. Ensure that you employ all naming conventions for your documents as outlined Section 4.1 of the Applicant Guidebook.
Information sessions
The Build and Mobilize Foundational Wildland Fire Knowledge program hosted webinars on March 26, 2024 (one in English and one in French) to provide information about the program’s application and evaluation process and to answer questions from applicants. You can find the presentation here.
Contact us
If you have any other questions or comments, email wildfireprograms-programmesdefeuxdeforet@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.
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