Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing meaningful work to support healthy and resilient forests across British Columbia (B.C.). This month, we feature Isaac Steensma, Supervisor of the Wildfire Risk Reduction Program with Nakimu Ventures Inc., a Revelstoke-based company focused on fuel management and wildfire mitigation work.
Isaac’s path into forestry was not traditional. He began his career in the trades, working as a carpentry apprentice after high school. A summer spent doing reclamation planting in the Elk Valley coal mines shifted his direction.
“I really liked seeing the results of the work,” he said. “Planting trees that would be there long-term made a difference for me.”
That experience led him into wildfire work, where he developed his skills through hands-on experience and went on to obtain the required certifications, including advanced First Aid and Danger Tree Assessment. However, much of what he has learned has come from working in the field.
“There’s really no way to learn how to supervise and manage people without experience,” he noted. “You build those skills over time.”
Since joining Nakimu Ventures in 2021, Isaac has taken on increasing responsibility, working on longer-term risk reduction initiatives across B.C. In his role, he currently supervises a crew of six to eight people, leading projects that help reduce wildfire risk around communities.
“Every season looks a bit different,” he explained. “In the winter, I’m running a crew doing fuel work, and in the summer, we transition into wildfire roles.”
The work he does today focuses on reducing fuel loads in forests, often in areas close to communities. This includes thinning dense stands, removing hazardous material, and conducting controlled burning where appropriate.
Isaac was first introduced to FESBC soon after he began working with Nakimu Ventures through a wildfire risk reduction project in Sicamous. The project focused on thinning (selective removal of trees) and fuel management work around the community to help reduce wildfire risk and support safer conditions.
For him, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is seeing how this work connects directly to wildfire response.
“I’m often working in areas in the winter where I’ll be firefighting in the summer,” he shared. “Seeing treated areas help slow fires or give crews a better chance to respond is really satisfying.”
His work also takes him across different regions of the province, where he continues to learn about forest types, conditions, and approaches to land management. Working with Indigenous partners has also been an important part of that learning.
“You get to see a lot of different landscapes and meet a lot of different people. There’s always something new to learn,” he said. “Being able to hear stories and learn how the land has been cared for over generations has been an eye-opener as well.”
While this work can sometimes be misunderstood, Isaac says it plays an important role in supporting healthier forests over time.
“From the outside, it can look like we’re cutting trees or burning areas unnecessarily, but the goal is to support healthier forests and reduce the risk of more severe wildfires,” he explained.
For Isaac, the long-term impact of the work is what matters most.
“It’s about community safety,” he emphasized. “The work we do in the off-season can make a real difference when wildfire season comes around.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to continue building on this work and see fuel management become more widely understood and applied across the province.
Thank you, Isaac, for your work in helping reduce wildfire risk and supporting safer, more resilient communities and forests across British Columbia.