Editor’s note: The Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC), based in Hayfork, CA, is the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network’s umbrella organization. In this blog, WRTC shares the launch of a recent film about a prescribed fire training exchange (TREX) held in Spanish and hosted by WRTC in northern California in the fall of 2023. To read more about the event, check out the blog about it from earlier this year: Bringing People Together Across Languages: California’s First TREX in Spanish.
For this blog in Spanish, scroll down. Para la versión en español, desplácese hacia abajo.
For two full weeks in October 2023, the Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC) hosted the first biennial California Spanish TREX – a Prescribed Fire Training Exchange – welcoming 50 Spanish-speaking fire practitioners from 27 different organizations, eight different countries, and three U.S. states.
This documentary was directed by Antonella Carrasco, filmed with assistance from Dylan Stirewalt, features poetry written and recited by Silvi Alcivar, music composed by Danny Clay and performed by the Fire and Music Project, and includes numerous interviews with participants and Watershed Research and Training Center Fire Management team members.
“As a filmmaker passionate about environmental care and social justice, I am deeply moved by the transformative power of cinema to showcase realities. During my participation in the Spanish TREX in California, I had the privilege of delving into the fascinating stories of those who have dedicated their lives to the vital and powerful element that is fire. This short film, ‘Voces del Fuego,’ goes beyond being a mere narrative; it is a vibrant testimony of how fire shapes landscapes, communities, and cultures. Through the diverse and passionate voices of those who understand and respect this natural phenomenon, we explore how we can reconcile our relationship with fire to protect and preserve our planet Earth.”
– Antonella Carrasco
Durante dos semanas completas en octubre de 2023, organizamos el primer TREX en español de California, este Intercambio de Capacitación en Fuego Prescrito que se realizará cada dos años. En el 2023, recibimos a 50 practicantes de fuego de habla hispana de 27 organizaciones diferentes ( algunas organizaciones locales de California), 8 países distintos y 3 estados de Estados Unidos.
Este documental fue dirigido por Antonella Carrasco, filmado con la asistencia de Dylan Stirewalt, presenta poesía escrita y recitada por Silvi Alcívar, música compuesta por Danny Clay e interpretada por el Proyecto Fuego y Música, e incluye numerosas entrevistas con los participantes y miembros del equipo de Manejo de Fuego del Watershed Research and Training Center.
“Como cineasta apasionada por el cuidado del ambiente y la justicia social, me emociona profundamente el poder transformador del cine para mostrar realidades. Durante mi participación en el Spanish TREX en California, tuve el privilegio de adentrarme en las fascinantes historias de quienes han dedicado sus vidas al elemento vital y poderoso que es el fuego. Este cortometraje, ‘VOCES DEL FUEGO,’ no se limita a ser un relato; es un testimonio vibrante de cómo el fuego moldea paisajes, comunidades y culturas. A través de las voces diversas y apasionadas de aquellos que comprenden y respetan este fenómeno natural, exploramos cómo podemos reconciliar nuestra relación con el fuego para proteger y preservar nuestro planeta Tierra.”
– Antonella Carrasco
The work upon which this documentary is based was funded in whole or in part through a Regional Forest and Fire Capacity grant awarded by the California Department of Conservation; the March Conservation Fund; a Fire Learning Network subaward through the Nature Conservancy funded by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; funding and a participating agreement with Region 5 of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
****
