The Wildland Firefighter Foundation’s main focus is to help families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and to assist injured firefighters and their families. We honor and acknowledge past, present, and future members of the wildland firefighting community, and partner with private and interagency organizations to bring recognition to wildland firefighters.
Wildland firefighters represent the diversity of the land they protect. They are federal, state, and local firefighters, contract firefighters, and volunteers from rural communities and towns across the United States. Many are long-time career professionals, some much newer to the job. They are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job, a community of committed individuals who work and train to protect our private and public lands.
The Foundation came together as a group of volunteers in 1994, shortly after the Storm King tragedy. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation was officially formed in the spring of 1999. Our board members realized that there was a great need to have emergency support services for the families of fallen firefighters. With dedication and lots of volunteer work, plans were developed for a national monument to honor firefighters, a dream that was realized in May 2000.
Active volunteers and supporters of wildland firefighters established the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a 501(c)3 to maintain the Wildland Firefighters National Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho.
Since 1999, the Foundation has also provided emergency support services to the families of firefighters, seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. Families left behind, many with young children, often find themselves with few resources, and the Foundation steps in to help.
The Board of Directors and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation are focused on developing realistic goals and objectives designed to guide the Foundation into the future. The following organizational goals have been identified:
Burk Minor is the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Burk has been caring for and supporting the wildland community, since the Storm King fire, in Colorado in 1994. Burk is the frontline responder for the Foundation whenever an incident arises. Burk is an expert at crisis management and is counted on by the wildland community for his knowledge, awareness and resources. A master relationship builder, fundraiser and strategist, his influence has created a thriving foundation, excellence among top tier charities and countless awards and recognition. His true colors shine when working with Incident Management teams and the Honor Guard to provide recognition to the fallen and injured. Burk has dedicated thirty plus years in wildland fire and is a voice for the boots on the ground and in the air.
Close Burk Minor's BioDina handles the administration, fiscal oversight and management of the day-to-day business operations for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Dina is dedicated to serving the wildland community, ensuring our mission is carried out effectively and efficiently. In her off time, Dina loves spending time with her husband and two beautiful daughters as well as creating and sewing quilts for fundraisers; including quilts for wildland firefighter families.
Close Dina Pfeifer's BioBetty started her career with the Forest Service in 1978 as a Corps member for both the Youth Conservation and Young Adult Conservation Corps Crews on the Big Bear Ranger District, San Bernardino National Forest. In 1980 she was hired as a seasonal in Timber Management and often responded to fires with her resource management crew. It was a coin toss that landed her a spot on an engine that was short staffed for the Siege of 1980. She finished out that season on an engine and has been in fire management until her retirement in 2016. Betty has worked all but one year on the Big Bear/Mountaintop Ranger District. She also worked on the Angeles National Forest as a Special Use Technician on the Saugus Ranger District. Some of the positions she has held and/or performed the duties of include, Supervisory Fire Engine Operator, Assistant District Fire Management Officer, Fire Prevention Technician, OHV Technician, Customer Service Representative, administrator for the District Casual Hire Program, Honor Guard Member, Family and Hospital Liaison. She considers herself an Employee Advocate and Proud supporter of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.
Close Betty Ashe's BioLayn Minor has been around the Wildland Firefighter Foundation for 20+ years. Son of Executive Director, Burk Minor, and grandson of Founder, Vicki Minor, he is experienced with the mission and operations within the Foundation. Layn handles the majority of digital assets & helps with the coordination of events and fundraisers.
Close Layn B Minor's BioIn 1987 Vicki Minor contracted with the US Forest Service to provide commissary units for remote incident command posts in the forest during fire seasons. Her business and love of the firefighter community grew as she provided dry goods and what was needed, to soften their harsh environment.
While being involved with the forest fires Vicki felt the devastation not only to the land but the people who fought to protect it. As a result, Vicki founded the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in 1997 in an extra room in her home in the Foothills of Boise. After seeing the Vietnam Wall she dreamed of having a place for wildland firefighters to honor their dead and help them heal. She started the funding and spearheaded the building of the Wildland Firefighter Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center, in Boise, Idaho. Until then there was no place to recognize the efforts of all wildland firefighters. In a short time she had funded and obtained non-profit status for the Foundation, that not only serves wildland firefighters across our nation but reached its arms out internationally to help firefighters killed in wildfires in other countries.
When CNN heard of her work at various burn centers she was nominated as a CNN Hero. She has also received the “Meeting American Needs Award,” from the Chief of the US Forest Service. She has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine twice and recently received national recognition by receiving a Mother Teresa Caring award given each year by the Caring Institute in Washington, D.C.
Close Vicki Minor's BioActive in emergency management for 22 years and owner of Fire Dawg, a company that contracts with the U.S. Forest Service.
Close Julie Quigley's BioOver 37 years of service in wildland fire. She is currently the Deputy Director of Fire and Aviation and Regional Aviation Officer, RAO in Montana. Maggie is CSIM trained and looks forward to utilizing that training in service of wildland firefighters and their families.
Close Maggie Doherty's BioDave joined the United States Forest Service in 1983 after graduating from the State University of New York with a degree in Natural Resource Conservation. During his career he worked for three regions and four national forests in a variety of fire suppression positions including; engine, smoke chaser, hotshot, helitack, and heli-rappel crews. In 2017 he retired from the USFS, finishing his career as the Helicopter Operations Specialist for the Northern Rockies Region. Over the course of his career the Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been vital in their support of numerous friends and coworkers and their families, helping them through the toughest of times. In retirement Dave looks forward to having the time to give back to this great organization.
Close Dave Crumb's BioMy career as a wildland firefighter spanned over 27 years. Two of those years were with the National Park Service, and 25 years with the US Forest Service. I have served as a member on hotshot crews, prescribed fire modules, wildland fire engines, in air operations as an Air Tactical Group Supervisor, and in various levels of Chief positions. Throughout my fire service career, I served on various training cadres as teaching others and passing along knowledge is a true passion of mine. I retired from the USFS in January 2020 as the Deputy Manager of the Northern California Geographic Area Coordination Center and currently work as a casual hire (AD) Air Attack when the need arises. My education includes earning a Certificate of Studies in Wildland Fire Management from Humboldt State University in 2009.
In 2007, I was recruited to the US Forest Service Honor Guard, where I remained an active member until retirement. I served as the Deputy Commander from 2012 – 2016. In 2016, I was asked, and accepted the position of Honor Guard Commander, which I remained until retirement. It was during my tenure with the Honor Guard that I developed and maintained a relationship with the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and all the folks that operate the foundation. The first Line of Duty Death (LODD) I assisted with occurred in 2008. This was Chief Daniel Packer on the Panther Fire on the Klamath National Forest. On the heels of Chief Packers death, was the multi-fatality Iron 44 helicopter crash. It was during the preparation and implementation of these LODD services that I was exposed to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and all that they do to take care of the friends and families of the fallen. It is because of this relationship and my Honor Guard experiences, that my passion grew for taking care of those who were unable to take care of themselves in times of need.
I am the proud father of four children and one son in law who are in the wildland fire business, either with the US Forest Service, or Bureau of Land Management. I am extremely proud to be called “Papa” by six grandchildren. I am married to a wonderful woman who has supported me throughout my career despite all the challenges and nuances it has presented.
Close Curt Stanley's Bio
The nation’s largest charity evaluator has received its first-ever rating and has been accredited by BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
Check out WFF’s rating by clicking on the logo above.