2024 AFTER THE FIRE USA WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We have to grow the ‘we’ if we're going to survive in the future.” —Supervisor James Gore Effective leadership is not about commanding authority, but about cultivating a shared vision and empowering the community. True leaders understand that their role…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “You got to be able to get out there and be able to assess the situation, not only from the building standpoint but the infrastructure standpoint, so that your decision-makers have the opportunity to make decisions and know what's facing them in terms of…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: Mutual aid is a critical component of effective disaster recovery. By sharing resources, expertise, and lessons learned, communities can bounce back faster and stronger in the face of catastrophic events. Mutual support is the foundation for building resilience and restoring hope. In this episode,…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “If we're not building with sustainable materials and we're not designing with sustainability in mind, we'll be in an even worse place environmentally.” —Andrew Rothgaber “We were able to achieve gold standard…so that people know that they have a higher chance that if there's…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “The solutions are creating those resilient landscapes.” —Marko Bey “It's going to come back to you. Is going to come back to how prepared you are? —how prepared can we all be to face these events? We need to center ourselves in that Indigenous…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “The fact that the fire's not near you, it doesn't mean that energy is not going to affect you.” —Hani Taan “What we're trying to shore up is to not only protect assets but to keep the fire from getting worse.” —Carrie Horazeck The…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “The biggest component of it is making sure that everyone's talking as much as possible, that there is collaboration and you're working together in order to make sure that kids have the support that they need.” —Henry Meier “If I don't feel emotionally safe,…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “It is becoming a cheerleader for the community that we're [private sector] back.” —Tim Zahner “It takes all of us to make a recovery. There are no heroes after the disaster itself. We all have a role to play.” —Lynn Knight “The Kupuna up…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: Disasters often hit vulnerable communities the hardest, but grassroots leaders are stepping up to meet their unique needs. From providing essential resources to fostering community resilience, these frontline responders are redefining disaster recovery. Tune in as these inspiring leaders delve into the challenges of…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Indigenous values can shift how we deal with disasters.” —Kainoa Horcajo Disaster recovery isn't just about rebuilding infrastructure— it's about honoring the deep connections between people and place. Principles like reciprocity, collective responsibility, and deep connection to the land can shape a more compassionate…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “It's not enough just to give, you have to always receive as well with the same grace and gratitude and aloha.” —Jennifer Gray Thompson “Aloha is boundless, and we know that Aloha reaches all shores and all states. Even in the most trying of…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Trust is so important to building a community of practice. And part of that trust comes from understanding where people are and where they stand.” —Michael McCormick “Once the scene is stabilized and we start to clean things up, and then there comes a…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: This recovery is slow, it's painful, and it's costly. We need patience, and aloha, and support because we're all in this together.” —Angus McKelvey “We have a lot of challenges moving forward, and it's figuring out the strategy of how we're going to approach…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “How you frame your argument is how you get them to listen.” —Jeff Okrepkie, Tubbs Fire 2017 “We're willing to help anybody out that is going through this now or in the future.” —Steve Crowder, Camp Fire 2018 “There's no playbook when it comes…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Home ownership is about stability. Homeownership is about building wealth. Homeownership is about families. But if you don't have a clear title, you don't know if that stability is going to be there.” —Tim Carpenter Disaster strikes, but for some, the real battle is…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “As the recovery process continues, you have to continue to adapt.” —Emily Nilsen Disaster recovery is a complex challenge, but innovative lenders are stepping up to the plate. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Impact Development Fund are providing flexible financing, coordinating resources, and…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We're not powerless. We are not powerless against wildfire. We know what we need to do.” —Amanda West “I try not to use the word remove. Just move them. You can have plants. You can have a beautiful landscape. We want that five feet…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Aloha does not mean hello and goodbye. Aloha has a much deeper meaning of love and respect. Hello to the return of our Indigenous kupuna knowledge and goodbye to the profit-making capitalistic colonization types of thinking that put profit over people.” —Ku’uleinani Maunupau Colonization…
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We are not hopeless against megafires. We are not hopeless against the era of climate change. We can do these things together because we are daring to hope and to help each other.” —Jennifer Gray Thompson As we bring this transformative event to a…
On the 7th anniversary of our creation, @afterthefireusa is taking time to show what we've been doing, where we are today, and what we care about most: disaster survivors and leaders. Our Story In October 2017, a massive wildfire devastated the California North Bay Counties of Sonoma, Napa, Lake and…
Wildfire Recovery Expert and CEO / Founder of @afterthefireusa Jennifer Gray Thompson speaks with NBC News Now about Maui Fires Recovery approximately 90 days post-disaster.
“If you're just doing a very limited role and not maximizing your contribution, you're selling yourself short. And it's probably not why you were selected.” -Aristotle Wolfe Episode Description: When disaster strikes, police officers take on the difficult but vital role of protecting the public. They establish security perimeters, communicate…
“You do have to bring in some science and some education. But there is something that people who have this generational knowledge can teach.” -Algeo Che Casul Episode Description: Mega fires pose a grave threat to private lands across California in the era of climate change. As hotter, drier conditions…
“Don't expect to go through it yourself. People will want to help, ask for it. And then when you get through your disaster, pay it forward.” -Margie Foster Episode Description: When catastrophe strikes, it falls to ordinary citizens to come together, support each other, and lead the recovery efforts from…
