Wildfire Matters: A podcast about the people in wildland fire management

Aug 7, 2023

In the second year of production, the Wildfire Matters podcast focuses on the people who help manage and protect our public lands. Many of them have dedicated their lives to the profession. During each episode, listeners learn more about the employees themselves—how they got started in fire, their wildland fire experience, career paths, and where they are currently.

As the host of the podcast, I always find it interesting to learn how people got started in fire and why they stayed. And that is part of the purpose of the podcast—to take listeners behind the scenes to hear from all fire personnel, from suppression to support, and learn more about what it takes to carry out our BLM Fire mission.

Two adult Caucasian women sit on a couch with microphones and headphones — Wildfire Matters podcast host Carrie Bilbao and co-host Jennifer Myslivy in the Speak Boise Studio recording episode 16 with Katrina Arguello, a new engine crew member working for BLM Fire in Las Cruces, New Mexico. A veteran of the Marine Corps, Katrina spent her first year fighting fires as a member of the BLM Spokane Initial Attack Suppression Module Fire Crew 6201. (Photo by Roberto Rodriguez)

“It has been fun and educational talking with BLM Fire employees about what they do and exploring the commonalities between each guest,” said Jennifer Myslivy, BLM Fire Public Affairs Specialist and Wildfire Matters podcast co-host. “When it comes down to it, many of us work together or have crossed paths at some point in our careers. We share common ground or a bond, and it really is the people who make working in wildland fire so great.”

Discussions have ranged from wildland fire management with BLM Fire and Aviation Assistant Director Grant Beebe, which was the first episode recorded in March 2022, to our most recent two-part series featuring six BLM Fire employees working for the BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) in Fairbanks, Alaska, which was released July 12 and 19, 2023.

Caucasian men put on bulky tan outfits — Great Basin Smokejumper Base Manager Phil Lind, left, provides a tour to a group of Sea Cadets in 2022, showing them how to put on jump gear. In episode nine, starting from the agrarian communities of Wisconsin moving to the vast open spaces of Montana, Phil explains how he got into firefighting and his transition to become a smokejumper. (Photo by Carrie Bilbao)

A Caucasian adult man in a blue jumpsuit sits in headphones and a microphone smiling at the camera. — Dr. Andrew Southard, or Dr. Drew, in the Speak Boise Studio "hot seat" discussing the importance of the BLM Operational Medical Support program (OMSP) during episode 15 of Wildfire Matters. Dr. Drew discusses the similarities and differences between OMSP and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and how BLM employees can get involved with the program. (Photo by Jennifer Myslivy)

Topics discussed in the podcasts cover fire and fuels management, fire prevention, aviation, firefighting—from veterans crews to engines, smokejumping, working in the military to fire investigation, and an overview of the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. Topics also included in-depth explanations of the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC), the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC), predictive services meteorology, mental health and critical incident stress management (CISM), the BLM Honor Guard, the Wildland Lessons Learned Center, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), the BLM Operational Medical Support program (OMSP), and AFS.

A Caucasian man stands next to a sign reading "Alaska Fire Service" — Kent Slaughter, Deputy State Director of Fire and Aviation, stands proudly next to the AFS sign. He kick starts episode 18 with a little history of AFS, explaining how BLM manages wildfires for the state along with some challenges and successes he has witnessed in his career. (Photo by Carrie Bilbao)

A man and woman inside a flying helicopter — Alaska Fire Service employee Tanana Zone, left, and Fuels Specialist Tasha Shields, right, during a fire detection flight in Alaska on June 22, 2023. In episode 18, Tasha explains the fire specialist position, unique to AFS, and her move to fuels management. She talks about the importance of logistics and what it is like to work on wildfires in Alaska, including how to build a tundra “refrigerator.” (Photo by Carrie Bilbao)

In case you have missed these episodes and are interested in learning a little more about BLM Fire programs and the people behind them, take a listen. All episodes can be found on BLM Fire’s partner page on NIFC.gov here: https://www.nifc.gov/about-us/our-partners/blm/blm-fire-podcasts

Our lineup for the rest of the year continues to focus on BLM Fire employees and their wildland fire experiences from incident command to human resources. We are also planning to host a special panel-style episode to discuss the ins and outs of the NEW wildland firefighter job (0456) series! Jennifer and I will be talking to more fire personnel, so stay tuned and happy listening!

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future podcasts, please drop Carrie Bilbao (cbilbao@blm.gov) an email and use ‘Wildfire Matters Podcast’ in the subject line.

Social media hashtag: #WeAreBLMFire

Carrie Bilbao, Public Affairs Specialist

Wildfire Matters: A podcast about the people in wildland fire management

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