Prairie Fire Lines

What goes into developing a prescribed burn association in the Canadian prairie landscape? And how can these programs continue to expand across the country? In the Season 1 finale of Prairie Fire Lines, Cat explores these questions with Stuartburn Prescribed Burn Association (SPBA) president Laura Reeves and treasurer Dan Rapinda. Together, they discuss how PBAs are established and the important role they play in addressing community needs such as reducing wildfire risk and restoring endangered prairie and tallgrass prairie ecosystems.

In September 2025, Cat hopped on a Zoom call with Dale Gross, a grassland ecologist with Saskatchewan Parks and one of the founding members of the CPPFE. Now, that conversation is finally being shared with the public! In this episode, Dale explores how his master’s and PhD research helped lay the groundwork for the CPPFE, and how his leadership continues to shape prescribed fire initiatives across the Canadian Prairies.

What goes into planning a week-long TREX for 60 participants? How do we choose which sites to burn? How do shifting weather conditions shape each day on the fire line? In this new episode of Prairie Fire Lines, we unpack these questions and more through a reflection on the 2025 Canadian Prairies TREX, held in Saskatoon from October 20–24, 2025. Cat brings together TREX Incident Commander Renny Grilz, Planning Chief Roy Vera-Velez, Operations Chief Kerry Hecker, and trainers Brad Elder, Melanie Schmidt, and Ryan Schmidt for a deep-dive Zoom conversation about how TREX unfolded - from early planning to the final day of burning. Tune in for an inside look at what it takes to organize a prescribed fire training exchange in the heart of our prairie grasslands.

In this episode, Cat hops on a Zoom call with Kody Wohlers of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to talk about his role as a fire steward in the Loess Hills - and the important role he plays in training up new and experienced fire practitioners at TREX and cooperative burn weeks. 

In October 2023, Matt Shanklin of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources recorded two podcast episodes that captured the 2023 Canadian Prairies TREX from start to finish...but they were never released. Now, we’re bringing them to you on Prairie Fire Lines. In Part 2, Shanklin and Kody Wohlers (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) are on the drive home to Iowa from Saskatchewan after serving as trainers for the TREX. They talk to Renny Grilz (Meewasin) all about how it went and how they could improve for future TREX programs. 

In October 2023, Matt Shanklin of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources recorded two podcast episodes that captured the 2023 Canadian Prairies TREX from start to finish...but they were never released. Now, we’re bringing them to you on Prairie Fire Lines. Part 1 features a roundtable conversation with Shanklin, Kody Wohlers of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and Renny Grilz of Meewasin, recorded the day before TREX began as they share their plans and expectations. Part 2, an in-depth post TREX review, is coming soon!

Cat sits down with Kerry Hecker, wildlife area manager at Last Mountain Lake Wildlife Area and Migratory Bird Sanctuary in south-central Saskatchewan, to speak about the role prescribed fire plays in protecting wildlife conservation efforts on the site as well as her leadership efforts on the fire line.

In the first episode of Prairie Fire Lines, Cat sits down with Renny Grilz, Resource Management Officer at Meewasin Valley Authority, to explore how prescribed fire is used to conserve prairie grasslands - including how it’s applied in Meewasin’s own fire program.