The sixth annual Canadian Wildfire Conference brought people to Kelowna's KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence Oct. 1-2. <\/p>\n
The two-day conference saw industry leaders, businesses, organizations, and others come together for presentations, panels, education and networking. <\/p>\n
Presentation topics ranged from lessons learned from the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire and a recap of B.C.'s 2025 fire season to Indigenous stewardship and wildfire suppression. <\/p>\n
Retired Coquitlam firefighter Steve Farina closed out the presentations on day one, focusing on mental health among first responders. <\/p>\n
"Self-care isn't selfish," Farina told the crowd, likening it to airplane emergency procedures of putting your own mask on before assisting others. <\/p>\n
"If you don't take care of yourself first, you're not going to be able to take care of your team. You're not going to be there for your family, your partner, or be the best dad or mom to your kids."<\/p>\n
Farina shared personal details of his struggles, admitting he wasn't the best dad to his daughter when he wasn't looking after himself. After decades in firefighting, Farina said the weight of not addressing his traumas and mental health crashed down on him in 2019, and he finally got help. <\/p>\n
For support, Farina shared First Responder Health,<\/a> an online database that makes it easier for first responders to find clinicians trained to serve their unique needs that can stem from the stress of the job. <\/p>\n The Canadian Wildfire Conference was hosted in #Kelowna<\/a> on Oct. 1-2@KelownaCapNews<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Y1ucTuQ0ip<\/a><\/p>\n — Brittany Webster (@thebrittwebster) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n