Editor’s note: This interview with Chanel Keller marks the beginning of our “My Fire Journey” interview series, in which we feature conversations with fire practitioners from a variety of backgrounds. These conversations are meant to offer a window into how practitioners approach their work, draw inspiration, and keep going in the face of challenges and setbacks. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity, and represent the views and opinions of the interviewees.
Chanel Keller is a devoted mother and cultural fire practitioner, proudly representing the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County in California. Currently serving as a Forestry Assistant II with CAL FIRE, she brings deep knowledge and dedication to her role in land stewardship and fire management. Her past experience includes working with the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association as both a prescribed and cultural fire practitioner, as well as serving her tribe as a cultural monitor—protecting ancestral sites and preserving sacred landscapes. In addition to her professional roles, she has volunteered for over eight years as an EMT and firefighter with the Mid Coast Fire Brigade along Highway 1, offering critical emergency response and support to her coastal community. All photos provided by Chanel Keller.
Fire Networks Staff: How did you get where you are now in your career?
Chanel Keller:
I was first introduced to cultural fire from a podcast my professor had assigned while I was attending college at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo (SLO). The podcast discussed what the Cultural Fire Management Council (CFMC) entailed. Inspired about what I learned, I immediately signed up and had my first cultural fire while in college. After that first burn, I was approached by the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (CCPBA) for an apprenticeship under Jared Childress to get experience with cultural and prescribed fires as well as work on my CA State Burn Boss/RXB2 qualifications.
The desire to work in fire began in 2016 following an EMT-B class. I was not able to complete a firefighter one academy due to not passing my CPAT but pivoted and I went right into earning my associates degree in Fire Science at my local community college.
I started volunteering with my local fire brigade shortly after receiving my associates degree. Knowing how I loved learning, my volunteer Fire Chief suggested I look into forestry as a career. She believed it would be a perfect career for my background and interests. Following that conversation, I started working towards transferring to the nearest forestry college near me which was Cal Poly SLO. Following my graduation from Cal Poly SLO in 2023, I began seeking work under a registered professional forester (RPF). I received an opportunity to apply with CAL FIRE, passed their exams, and was offered a job. I am now in training to maintain my job – I am required to pass the FF1A/B/C, FFA, COA, and driver operator courses within my first year. After three years experience, I hope to take the RPF exam and become an RPF so that I can pursue my passion to work with tribes to heal their lands through Indigenous led forestry and fire practices. I hope to live my life in ceremony traveling with my family and friends.
What skills have been most beneficial for you in your career? And where or what do you turn to for continuous learning and skill development?
The most beneficial skill for me has been working with my learning style and technique. I know how I like to be taught, and sometimes I’ll just ask the instructor if I can physically talk them through the steps and demonstrate my knowledge. I like repetition and memorization. Also, I’m stubborn and passionate so that helps me to stay motivated. It’s also very important to be flexible with fire – there are many variables that come into play when utilizing fire as a tool to shape the environment. I sign up for any training that is presented to me through friends or organizations I have connected with if I believe the training opportunity will get me closer to my educational or training goals.
Are there specific networking strategies or techniques that have worked for you?
The best strategy for me is being myself and finding folks that align with my passions and visions. I have met a lot of folks through attending the fire ecology and forestry conferences. By far, I have met the most like minded folks though TREX/WTREX events and I believe that joining local PBAs are invaluable opportunities for networking and connections in fire.
How do you handle setbacks or challenges in your personal and professional life?
If I’m being honest…first I get sad, then I get determined. I know that no matter what, I’m meant to be where I am guided. Even if a door is shut, I will persevere and another door will open. It’s the idea that the universe is conspiring in my favor! It’s inevitable that you won’t succeed in everything you do, but if you pivot and keep trucking, what’s meant to be yours will be.
Where do you draw your confidence from?
I believe my confidence comes from knowing how hard I’ve worked to get where I am. I don’t always feel confident, though. Sometimes I get down and I have to remind myself that I am strong, smart, and capable. I know if I am a kind person who doesn’t give up, that will get me farther than most.
I gain confidence through competence, so I make it a priority to train consistently until tasks become second nature. I also find it really important to get corrected immediately if I am training incorrectly – this helps solidify the correct way.
What are you proud of in your career so far? What would you do differently?
I’m proud of the relationship I have with my homelands. I’m proud of the experiences I’ve had with fire, and watching its behavior and specific ecological interactions. I am constantly humbled by all there is to know. I’m grateful that trainings are always available to me and that I am continuing my passion of sustainable forestry management with an Indigenous perspective. I do not have regrets – everything that I have done has led me to where I am now.
How do you maintain a healthy distinction between your work and personal life?
I maintain a healthy balance by remembering that we are more than our careers. We are good family members, parents, children/students of the land, and we have hobbies outside of that. I think ensuring that you continue to fill the other cups in your lives will allow for that multifaceted nature. Sometimes the balance is thrown off kilter, but that’s normal. My family has learned to ride the waves of my unavailability, then during the slowdown we try to soak up the slow moments.
What’s one bit of advice you wish someone had told you when you were at the beginning of your fire career?
That’s so hard to answer because truly my only regret is how long it’s taken me to get some of my trainings…but at the same time, I don’t think I was mentally as prepared as I am now, therefore expediting them may have led to my failure.
I think if people told me that I belonged there more, it would have instilled more confidence and less imposter syndrome.
Who is someone who has influenced or supported your career trajectory?
My first fire with CFMC really started me on my pathway. Witnessing Indigenous people lead the burn and do it in such a ceremonious way, with so much love and intention, made fire feel like there was a place in it for me. Before that experience, I always felt like I was living in someone else’s world and trying to fit their mold. With cultural fire, the sovereignty lies in the elders’/fire lighters’ hands – and that’s powerful.
