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Crew History

The Robson Valley Fire Zone (RVFZ) is based in Valemount, nestled between the Rocky, Monashee and Cariboo Ranges. This rugged landscape, characterized by towering peaks, dense forests and pristine rivers, provides year-round opportunities for exploration. The zone spans 1.46 million hectares, bordering Jasper National Park to the east, the Prince George Fire Zone to the north/northwest, the Cariboo Fire Centre to the west and the Kamloops Fire Centre to the south. In 2017, the southern region extending beyond Blue River was integrated into the Prince George Fire Centre from the Kamloops Fire Centre.

Historically, wildfire response in the region was led by a Rapattack base in McBride (1992–1996) until its dissolution in 1996. That same year, the Wildfire Protection Base was relocated to Valemount, leading to the creation of the Robson Valley Initial Attack program. Initially, the program consisted of two initial attack crews, with a third crew added in 2007. For many years, RVFZ operated with nine crew personnel until a transition to four-person crews was approved in 2023. Additionally, in 2025, a fourth crew was introduced as part of a provincial uplift to Type 1 Fire Response.

In 2017, the zone established the Junior Fire Crew Member Program, which has since become a key entry point for many current staff. Today, the RVFZ crew structure consists of one crew supervisor, four crew leaders, twelve crew members, and up to three Junior Fire Crew members. Working alongside zone staff, they manage wildfire response in a complex and challenging landscape while embracing everything this spectacular region has to offer.

Patches

Crew Supervisor

L. Lerch – 2025 – current

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