Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Kelly Woods visits with Larry Sutton, Jim Cook, and Chris Wilcox to capture their reflections on the 30 years that have passed since the watershed 1994 fire season when the wildland fire community lost 34 firefighters in the line of duty. That season changed the trajectory of the wildland fire program and was a catalyst in the development of many things we take for granted today. Larry, Jim, and Chris provide their perspective on what was happening culturally at that time and as these significant changes began. They also share lessons on how to be an agent of change.

Kelly Woods and Travis Dotson visit with Riva Duncan and Dr. Patty O’Brien about some considerations when deciding to seek therapy, how to find a therapist, and how to get the most out of the experience when working with a therapist. The conversation covers many topics about mental health, including personal experiences related to therapy and the importance of having a support network.

Travis Dotson and Kelly Woods talk about lessons the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center received in learning reviews and reports in 2023. Travis highlights some themes and shares his unique insights on data. Throughout the conversation, Travis and Kelly reference the Annual Incident Review Summary and the latest issue of Two More Chains which feature many of the lessons discussed and provide links to the source material. These documents can be downloaded at lessons.wildfire.gov.

Erik Apland talks with Erin Phelps and Kat DuBose about wildland fire presumptive illness legislation, some lessons associated with filing a cancer-related claim with the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, and firefighter exposure to environmental hazards. Erin and Kat define what presumptive illness means for wildland firefighters and share their insights on when someone should file a claim, how and when additional illnesses may be added to the list, and what the agencies are doing to address wildland fire health and wellbeing.