CPPFE Prairie Fire Summit

Our 2nd annual Prairie Fire Summit is in Winnipeg this year, gathering prescribed fire professionals from across the Prairies.

The CPPFE is thrilled to announce our 2nd annual Prairie Fire Summit on March 18, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba - Canada’s “Gateway of the West”.

This year’s summit is hosted in Manitoba, a province where:

• Agencies and landowners are actively putting fire on the ground
• Canada’s first prescribed burn association was formed

We’re proud to host the event at the brand new FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Building, Manitoba’s most sustainable and energy-efficient building. Read more about our hosting venue here.

The Prairie Fire Summit brings together prescribed fire practitioners and stakeholders from across the Prairies, including:

• Landowners and ranchers
• Researchers and academics
• Students
• Indigenous groups
• Conservation organizations
• Government agencies

Together, we’ll explore how prescribed fire is being used today — and how we can continue expanding fire programs across the region.

Our keynote speaker is the brilliant Sam Fuhlendorf - professor in natural resource management and ecology at Oklahoma State University.

His expertise is in conserving grasslands with fire ecology and wildlife conservation, and he will be presenting on the pyric-herbivory and patch-burn grazing. We’re so honoured to welcome him into Canada to attend this Summit.

The day will feature presentations and a panel discussion on a range of prescribed fire-related topics, including Jonathan Eerkes, the national fire program manager for Phaesents Forever.

A full agenda, including further speakers and presentation topics will be announced soon!

Confirmed speakers:

• Sam Fuhlendorf - Oklahoma State University
• Jonathan Eerkes - Phaesents Forever
• Laura Reeves & Dan Rapinda - Stuartburn Prescribed Burn Association
• Eric Lamb - University of Saskatchewan
• John Morgan - Prairie Habitats
• Ken Morrice - Association of Manitoba Community Pastures

The event runs from 10am-4pm with lunch and refreshments provided. A post-event social will also be held afterwards - venue information to be announced soon.

We are proud to be hosting this event with in-kind support from the following organizations:

• Association of Manitoba Community Pastures
• Nature Conservancy of Canada - Manitoba
• Manitoba Habitat Conservancy
• Meewasin Valley Authority
• Skinner Native Seeds
• Stuartburn Prescribed Burn Association

We also thank the Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative for funding this event.

🌾Program Highlights:

• Presentations on a wide range of prescribed fire-related topics
• A panel discussion on a "hot" topic in prescribed fire
• Insights from practitioners working across the Prairies
• Networking opportunities

👍 Inclusions & Exclusions 👎

Your registration includes:

• Full-day access to the summit, including all presentations
• Lunch and refreshments
• Networking opportunities with fire practitioners from across the Prairies

Registration does NOT include:

• Accomodation and transporation costs (see FAQ below)
• Meals and drinks at the post-event social

🗓️Registration cut-off:

The last day to register for the summit is March 9, 2026. Please reach us at cppfe@meewasin.com if you need any accomodations.

💳Cancellation & Refunds:

Our refund policy is as follows:

Before March 1: 100% refundable

Between March 1-9: 50% refundable

After March 9 (registration cut-off): Non-refundable

If you'd like to request a refund, please contact us at cppfe@meewasin.com.