2019 Micro-Grant Winner: Greg Jones
About Greg:
Greg lives in Mackenzie, BC with his fiancé and their two dogs, where he pays for dog food, winter projects and their time outside by jumping fires for the British Columbia Wildfire Service.
Grant Category: Photography
Project Vision:
Technology has been able to remove the danger and physicality from a lot of modern industries, but firefighting is one of the increasingly rare professions that still challenges the full range of human attributes, from physical capability, intelligence, and skill to teamwork, decision making and emotional fortitude – all of which must come together in very real and uncontrollable situations. Throughout the 2019 season I’m going to take photos which illustrate why the human element is the most important factor in wildfire. The reasons why we can’t solve all our problems through technology instead of putting people at risk, and why success in firefighting will always come down to boots on the ground and the people involved. By sharing a firsthand look at different situations and profiling some of the amazing people I’m fortunate enough to work with, I hope to dispel some misconceptions and showcase how critical it is that we value, develop and retain our people if we want to be ready to face whatever future seasons may hold.
Previous Work:
Favorite thing about wildland firefighting:
The people I work with and the range of experiences we get to have, not just through work but through the lifestyles it lets us build.