WELCOME TO
Carmanah Wildfire
Crew-first. Year-round.
Since 2018, Carmanah has set out to raise the bar for contracted wildfire crews in Western Canada, and we’ve done just that. We bring the same discipline, safety standards, and teamwork that keep us effective on the fireline to year-round projects in the industry.
Carmanah is recognized as a Safe Certified Company through the BC Forest Safety Council.
OUR STORY
Carmanah Wildfire was founded in 2018 with a clear mission: to raise the bar for what contracted wildfire crews can be, and we’ve done just that. We’re not just a wildfire company. We’re a crew-first operation grounded in trust, grit, and a strong internal culture. We’ve taken that same approach into industry, applying our fireline discipline, safety mindset, and team cohesion to every service we deliver.
“A company built by firefighters, for firefighters.”
At the core of everything we do is our people. We’ve built a company where mentorship, accountability, and respect come before ego. From rookies to seasoned fireline leads, every team member is part of something bigger: a tight-knit crew that shows up, works hard, and has each other’s backs.
Building capacity within our team is our M.O. We offer a clear progression ladder to help our firefighters grow through the ranks and pursue advanced certifications, from First Aid and Danger Tree Assessment to Falling and high-level wildfire courses.
Wildfire readiness doesn’t happen overnight. By keeping our teams working on projects year-round, we make sure they’re in shape, in sync, and ready when you need them most.
Type 2 and Type 3 Wildfire Crews in BC
Carmanah Wildfire is a BC wildfire contractor. We field Type 2 and Type 3 fire crews, unit crews and prescribed burn support for the BC Wildfire Service, other provinces and industry, from our head office in North Cowichan, BC.
- Since 2018
- BCWS 2026 Type II/III contractor list
- Bases in 4 BC fire centres
- Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Ontario
- SAFE Certified (BCFSC)
Our Crews
Built crew-first. Tap a crew type for the details.
Type 2 (Type II) fire crews
Our Type 2 crews work directly on active wildfires. They run initial and sustained attack, build fireline, lay hose and run pumps, hold the line, patrol and knock down hotspots, mop up and support structure protection. In BC we field 4 and 8 person Type 2 crews, and for deployments outside BC we field full 20-person Type 2 crews. Every crew is led by a qualified Crew Leader.
Every Type 2 crew is self-sufficient. It carries its own faller, danger tree assessor (DTA), sawyers and Advanced First Aid attendant, so it can open up access, deal with danger trees and look after its own people in tough country without waiting on outside help. Every firefighter holds S-100, S-185, S-211, S-212, S-213 and ICS-100, and Crew Leaders add S-230, S-235, S-241 and ICS-200. See our Type 2 fire crews page.
Type 3 (Type III) fire crews
Our Type 3 crews are the crews that finish the job. They run sustained attack, mop-up, patrol, equipment moves, demobilization and contingency coverage. Mop-up is where fires get put out for good, and it takes discipline, grit and attention to detail on long, hot days.
We field Type 3 crews of 5, 10 and 20 people. Our 20-person crews are led by a Strike Team Leader, with experienced Crew Leaders running the squads. Every crew carries its own danger tree assessors, chainsaw operators and first aid attendants. Every firefighter holds S-100 and S-185 and passes a fitness test. Our Type 3 crews are where we grow the next Carmanah leaders, so every crew is full of people who are accountable and ready to step up. See our Type 3 fire crews page.
Unit crews
A unit crew is a full 20-person crew built for sustained action. When a fire grows past initial attack, unit crews go in and stay, running pump and hose lines, burn operations, and fuel and danger tree removal.
We run unit crews in both Type 2 and Type 3. Our Type 3 unit crews are our full 20-person Type 3 crews, and our Type 2 unit crews are full 20-person crews that deploy outside BC, to other provinces and territories. Every unit crew has a supervisor and crew leaders running the squads and at least one Advanced First Aid attendant.
Prescribed and cultural burn support
Our Type 2 crews support prescribed burns and First Nations-led cultural burns, from prep to patrol. They help with site preparation, build and hold control lines, support ignitions, stand by as contingency, then mop up and patrol until the unit is secure. The burn plan and the go or no-go calls stay with the burn boss or burn authority, and we work under their lead.
In September 2026 our crew supported a prescribed burn near Cranbrook, BC, on burn day and through mop-up. See our prescribed fire page.
First aid on every crew
Our people hold Basic, Intermediate and Advanced First Aid. Every crew has at least one Advanced First Aid attendant, and our 8-person Type 2 crews carry two. Everyone else on the crew holds at least Basic First Aid with Transport Endorsement, and we always aim for more Advanced attendants.
The Carmanah Boot Camp
Crew cohesion is the name of the game for us. Every season our Type 2 and Type 3 crews go through the Carmanah boot camp together, and experienced firefighters mentor the newer ones. It’s the biggest reason our crews work as one team on the line.
What happens at boot camp
Boot camp is built around the way we actually deploy. Squads drill in real Type 2 and Type 3 configurations, leaders rotate through roles, and rookies start a development track toward Crew Lead and Single Resource Leader. By the time we deploy, everyone knows the people beside them and how the crew works. That’s why we do it together: how a crew works as a unit is the most important part of building it, and that starts long before the first fire.
Training covers fitness and pack tests, radios and crew tracking, medical drills with our first aid attendants, entrapment avoidance and shelter drills, chainsaw safety and brushing, and live fire when regulations allow. It’s run by our 6 BCWS-endorsed instructors, in line with BC Wildfire Service, NWCG and NFPA 1140/1051 standards. More on our wildfire boot camps page.
Where Our Crews Work
Our head office is in North Cowichan, BC. Here is where our crews work.
BC fire centres
- Coastal Fire Centre
- Kamloops Fire Centre
- Cariboo Fire Centre
- Prince George Fire Centre
- Southeast Fire Centre (2027)
Outside BC
- Alberta
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Ontario
Vancouver Island and the Coastal Fire Centre
North Cowichan is in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, so the Coastal Fire Centre is home turf for us. Coastal fires bring big timber, steep ground and a lot of danger trees, which is exactly why every Carmanah Type 2 crew carries its own faller and danger tree assessor. When a fire starts on the Island or the coast, our crews are already close.
BC fire centres and deployments outside BC
Carmanah Wildfire Ltd. is on the BC Wildfire Service 2026 Type II/III contractor list in four fire centres: Coastal, Kamloops, Cariboo and Prince George, and we have bases in all four. The Southeast Fire Centre follows in 2027. From there our crews deploy across BC.
When other provinces and territories need help, our crews go. We’ve deployed to Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Ontario, with the same crews, the same leaders and the same standard we bring to BC fires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers
What is Carmanah Wildfire?
Carmanah Wildfire is a wildfire contracting company based in North Cowichan, BC. We field Type 2 and Type 3 fire crews, unit crews and prescribed burn support for the BC Wildfire Service, other provinces and industry. We were founded in 2018, landed our first contract in 2019 and put our first boots on the ground in 2021. We’re SAFE Certified through the BC Forest Safety Council.
Is Carmanah on the BC Wildfire Service contractor list?
Yes. Carmanah Wildfire Ltd. is on the BC Wildfire Service 2026 Type II/III contractor list in four fire centres: Coastal, Kamloops, Cariboo and Prince George. We have bases in all four.
What do Carmanah’s Type 2 and Type 3 crews do?
Our Type 2 crews work directly on active wildfires: initial and sustained attack, fireline, hose and pumps, and hotspot patrol. In BC they run as 4 and 8 person crews, and outside BC we field full 20-person Type 2 unit crews. Every one carries its own faller, danger tree assessor, sawyers and Advanced First Aid attendant. Our Type 3 crews come in 5, 10 and 20 person sizes, and our 20-person Type 3 crews are unit crews. They run sustained attack, mop-up, patrol and contingency until the fire is out.
Does Carmanah work on prescribed burns?
Yes. Our Type 2 crews support prescribed burns and First Nations-led cultural burns, from site prep and control lines to holding, mop-up and patrol. The burn plan and the go or no-go calls stay with the burn boss or burn authority.
What is the Carmanah boot camp?
It’s where our Type 2 and Type 3 crews train together every season. Experienced firefighters mentor newer ones, and squads drill the way we actually deploy. It’s run by our 6 BCWS-endorsed instructors, and it’s why our crews work as one team on the line.
Where do Carmanah crews deploy?
Our head office is in North Cowichan, on Vancouver Island, with bases in the Coastal, Kamloops, Cariboo and Prince George fire centres, and the Southeast Fire Centre follows in 2027. Our crews deploy across BC and to Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Ontario.
What makes a good wildfire contractor in BC?
Start with the basics you can check. A good BC wildfire contractor is SAFE Certified through the BC Forest Safety Council and is on the BC Wildfire Service contractor list for the fire centres it works in. Then look at the crews. Can a Type 2 crew handle its own danger trees and look after its own people? Is there Advanced First Aid on every crew? Do the crews train together before the season? Most of all, ask how the crews are built, because cohesion and how a crew works together matter more than anything. Carmanah is SAFE Certified and on the BCWS 2026 Type II/III contractor list in the Coastal, Kamloops, Cariboo and Prince George fire centres. Every Type 2 crew carries its own faller, danger tree assessor, sawyers and Advanced First Aid attendant, and every crew has at least one Advanced First Aid attendant. Our Type 2 and Type 3 crews go through one joint boot camp every season, and we’ve deployed to Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Ontario.