Our History
“Each year prior to the start of fire season in the Southwest, The Arizona Wildfire & Incident Management Academy (AWIMA) brings together firefighters from fire agencies throughout Arizona, various parts of the country, and from some foreign countries. This 6-day Academy provides training for the entry-level wildland firefighter, to the upper-level management of wildland firefighting.”
-Tim McElwee, Previous Board member and IMT member
Arizona’s wildfire problem had been on the increase for years. More fuels available in the forests, drought conditions, and more people moving into in the Wildland Urban Interface.
Arizona has many Fire Protection Agencies that deal with the wildland fire problem within their jurisdictions. A Lack of inexpensive and easy-to-get wildland fire training for the personnel within these agencies, added to the wildfire problem. There was also the fact that not one of these agencies were capable of handling its own wildland fire problem 100% of the time, another contributing factor to Arizona’s wildland fire problem.
It is certain that in most years, Arizona will experience a large number of wildfires at the same time. This requires multiple fire agencies, to come together to control these fires. To do this successfully, requires a close working relationship between all of Arizona’s fire protection agencies.
Members of the Arizona State Fire Training Committee recognized a need for additional, valued training, communications, and coordination in order for Arizona Fire Agencies to be more prepared and effective dealing with the wildland fire problem.
The Arizona State Fire Training Committee (ASFTC) is charged with organizing and running the Arizona State Fire School each year in the Fall. Some Wildland Fire classes had been offered during the predominate Structure and Rescue based Fire School throughout the years. The problem with conducting wildland fire-based classes in September was finding qualified instructors that were not assigned to fires in the Western United States.
In 2002, Don Howard, Fire Chief of Summit Fire District and Past Chairman of ASFTC, made a presentation to the ASFTC, describing the need for additional wildland fire training for Arizona’s firefighters. Chief Howard used examples of what Arizona’s neighbors had been doing to address their wildfire training. The Utah Wildland Fire Academy and Colorado Wildfire Academy were used as examples. Chief Howard then made a request for funding from ASFTC to get a Wildfire Academy started. ASFTC agreed, and provided a $24,000 loan. Chief Howard promised that the loan would be completely paid back. The loan was paid back in full, May of 2003, 2 months after the first Arizona Wildfire Academy.
In addition to the $24,000 loan from ASFTC, the Arizona Wildfire Council received $50,000 from Arizona Division of Emergency Management, through Director Mike Austin. Additional funds and assistance were provided by Prescott Area Wildland/Urban Interface Commission, Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council, Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, State Farm Insurance, Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, Arizona Firefighters Association, Nationwide Retirement Solutions, AJS Insurance Services, and Arizona State Lands Department. The Prescott National Forest allowed the Academy to use the Prescott Cache for tools and equipment and paid for the refurbishing of said tools and equipment. This was close to a $6,000 donation thanks to PNF FMO Robert Morales.
Each year prior to the start of fire season in the Southwest, AWIMA brings together firefighters from fire agencies throughout Arizona, various parts of the country, and from some foreign countries. This 6-day Academy provides training for the entry-level wildland firefighter, to the upper-level management of wildland firefighting.
In 2003, AWA hosted 300 students at the inaugural academy. In 2024, AWIMA hosted 910 students, making it the biggest year in history with 1,100 total registrants.
The Academy IMT in 2003 volunteered their time and expertise to run the academy like an incident. Team members were from Type 1 and 2 Southwest IMTs. Members of the AWIMA Incident Management Team say that it was a perfect dry run, to shake out the cobwebs, before the first fire assignment of the year.
Additional help at the first year’s academy came from the Colorado Wildfire Academy, the Utah Wildfire Academy and many family members of the AWA IMT.
The Arizona Wildfire Council was established late November 2002. The Council consisted of Don Howard, representing Fire Districts of AZ, Brian Lauber, representing the AZ State Forestry, Mark South, representing the USFS, and Tim McElwee, representing Municipal Fire Departments. These board members remained in place from 2003 to 2007.
The Board appointed Kori Kirkpatrick as the Academy Coordinator. Kori ran the Academy until after the 2007 Academy.
The Arizona Wildfire Council’s objective was to establish, the Arizona Wildfire Academy (now known as the Arizona Wildfire & Incident Management Academy). The AWC also provided guidance and direction in Academy curriculum and provided effective management and utilization of the resources available to run the Academy.
The first of its kind in Arizona, The Arizona Wildfire Academy was held March of 2003, just 4 months after the original proposal was made to ASFTC.
AWA/AWIMA has been held in Prescott Arizona, at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University since 2003, except in 2021 due to COVID.
This format of running the academy continues today. The Academy’s incident management team is made up of approximately 27 people that are part of Type 1, 2 and 3 teams in the southwest. Some begin their volunteer work soon after the fire season has concluded in preparation for the March academy. The Academy staff transfers planning and operations to the Academy IMT in January. The dedication and hard work of these volunteers ensure the success of the academy each year.
Over the years, academy staff and team members have heard stories of firefighters from different agencies working together more effectively because they had met and trained together at the Arizona Wildfire & Incident Management Academy.
