About Us

Our Mission

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation is dedicated to supporting the brave men and women who risk their lives to protect our forests, homes, and communities. We provide assistance to firefighters and their families in times of need. Our mission is to honor, support, and assist wildland firefighters and their families through financial aid, physical and emotional support, advocacy, and community.
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Key Values

Our values reflect the strength, compassion, and courage of the wildland firefighting community. They guide our mission to support those who protect our forests and their families in times of need.

Compassion

Putting firefighters and their families first.

Integrity

Providing transparency in all that we do.

Community

Strengthening bonds between firefighters and supporters.

Courage

Inspired by the bravery of those we serve.
At the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, we strive to provide the best support to the wildland community that we can. Since becoming Executive Director in 2020, Burk Minor has expanded the Foundation's reach to include assistance with injuries, fatalities, hardships, mental health, and more. No matter the obstacle, we are here for our wildland firefighters and their families.

Each year, an average of 19 wildland firefighters lose their lives protecting our homes, communities, and public lands. Born from tragedy, the Foundation is fueled by the wildland fire community itself, by the boots on the ground. No agency lines. No boundaries. Just support, honor, and compassion.
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation's mission has and always will be to support killed and injured wildland firefighters and their families. We honor all members of the wildland firefighting community; past, present, and future. We work with private and interagency partners to raise awareness and recognition for their service.

We provide critical financial assistance, maintain the national monument for fallen wildland firefighters, and offer crisis support when needed. Through education and outreach, we promote safety, excellence, and public understanding of what wildland fire is.

Our Partners

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Our Legacy

After 14 wildland firefighters lost their lives in the 1994 South Canyon Fire, also known as the Storm King Fire, on Storm King Mountain in Colorado, Vicki Minor launched a nationwide fundraiser, selling memorial t-shirts to support the families of the fallen. She initially sent the proceeds to an East Coast foundation, only to discover two years later that none of the families had received assistance. Determined to make sure no firefighter family was ever overlooked again, she founded the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in 1996.

What began as a grassroots mission to provide immediate financial support to families of firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty has since grown into a national nonprofit serving thousands. In 2000, the Foundation built the National Fallen Wildland Firefighters Monument to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The tragedy of South Canyon remains the catalyst for the Foundation’s enduring mission: ensuring no wildland firefighter or their family faces hardship alone.

Who We Are

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Committed to Transparency

Your trust matters to us. Learn how we carefully manage resources, maintain accountability, and uphold our mission to support wildland firefighters and their families. From financial reports to governance policies, we share it all to keep you informed.
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