Good Fire Workshops

Learn more and sign up through Golden Volunteers: https://x.gldn.io/e/GbITd1EkE0b

Good Fire Workshops is an intimate, educational, and social event. It will feature three morning workshops that bring neighbors and community members together to learn, burn, heal, commune, and engage.

Workshop 1: Indigenous Cultural Fire Led by He-Lo Ramirez—biologist, environmental educator, Type 2 wildland firefighter, and Cultural Stewardship Program Manager at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER). He-Lo also serves as Treasurer for the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria. This workshop will explore the history, purpose, and practice of Indigenous cultural fire. Participants will learn how California Indians have used fire as a land management tool since time immemorial and discover the ecological and cultural benefits of beneficial fire.

Workshop 2: Prescribed Fire in Practice Led by David Mitchell, Prescribed Burn Association Coordinator with the Butte County Resource and Conservation District (BCRCD). This hands-on workshop will help participants build confidence and comfort around fire. The session will cover fire behavior and provide practical guidance on how to plan and conduct prescribed burns safely and effectively to meet land management goals and objectives.

Workshop 3: Fire, Story, and Healing Led by Blake Ellis—BCCER’s Ecotherapy Program Manager, Associate Clinical Social Worker, therapist, Type 2 wildland firefighter, and certified Nature Therapy Guide. This workshop invites participants to reimagine their relationship with beneficial fire through storytelling, group sharing, and nature therapy practices. Nature therapy experiences alongside small pile burns will help participants address sensory triggers tied to wildfire trauma by incorporating mindfulness, grounding, and relaxation practices.