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Crew History

Formed in 1990, the Salish Unit Crew is based on Líl̓wat Nation territory in Pemberton where they have developed an unparalleled wealth of firefighting knowledge. As of 2020, the crew had five of its founding members, including crew supervisor Ryan Pascal.

On the Salish Unit Crew’s significance to the Líl̓wat Nation, Pascal says, “From day one we’ve seen what it means to the community, not just the crew members and their families but everybody. Every time we go to a fire, we’re representing ourselves and our people, as well as the BC Wildfire Service. We carry that with us, and it helps us keep a high standard of excellence everywhere we go.”

The Salish Unit Crew is the last remaining First Nations unit crew in the BC Wildfire Service. The crew does many things the same as others, but their generational connections have given them the experience and consistency to keep improving and perfecting their craft.

Over the years there have been three father-son pairs on the crew simultaneously, which is an incredible testament to the crew’s success. Having multiple generations of a family on the crew at one time is a point of pride for the Salish Unit Crew, reinforcing the good work the crew does in building a healthy workplace environment. There have been fathers, sons, cousins, uncles, nephews and close family friends all working with the Salish Unit Crew over its 35-year history, representing the crew’s ties to their communities and family.

Patches

The Salish Unit Crew logo was designed by Bryson Edmonds, one of the original crew members. It has remained the logo since the crew’s inception and is a preservation of the crew’s original values and culture.

Crew Supervisor

S. Joe – 2024 – Current

R. Pascal – 1990 – 2024

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