Zairen Sultana Prema

Advisor: Mimi Locher

Timeline illustrating the evolution of Manitoba's wildfire response from the 1900s to the present.
Manitoba Firefighting History, Local Brigades to Modern Wildfire Deployment
Timeline of Manitoba Fire Service Development from 1870 to 2030.
Fire Service Development and Response (1870-2030)
Map of Canada highlighting wildfire activity. Red, yellow, and orange areas indicate high intensity near cities like Winnipeg and Regina on a dark background.
Active Wildfire Events in Canada During Summer 2025 in Relation to a Decade of Increasing Fire Hazard in Manitoba
A grayscale map of Manitoba, Canada shows hexagonal grids with overlapping amber and brown circles. Major cities like Winnipeg and Regina are labeled.
Wildfire Event Areas and Severity Across Northern Communities
Map of Manitoba, Canada shows forest fires near Lynn Lake, Tadoule Lake, and Brochet. A helicopter evacuation and an emergency vehicle are also depicted.
Northern Manitoba fire-prone areas
Map of Manitoba and Saskatchewan shows fire management zones. Features include Lynn Lake, fire hot spots, base camps, and boreal forest areas.
Historical context of firefighting in northern Manitoba
Diagram showing two prefab building modules. Left: Exploded view of insulated puff panel module with steel lining and insulation layers. Right: Steel panel unit assembly with labeled steps, adjustable frame, and interior. Text highlights quick setup and modular design.
Prefabricated modular structure
Illustrated aerial view of a base camp with rectangular buildings and a central tent. Nearby map shows the location amidst wildfire zones and highways.
A conceptual base camp model

HOLDING SPACE
Architecture for Firefighters in Northern Manitoba

Northern Manitoba is increasingly affected by frequent and severe wildfire events, driven by climate change, prolonged drought conditions, and rising temperatures across Canada’s boreal regions. Recent wildfire seasons have exceeded historical averages in both burned area and fire intensity, placing unprecedented strain on emergency response systems and disproportionately impacting northern and remote communities.1 2These regions face additional challenges due to geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and delayed access to firefighting resources.

Studies by Natural Resources Canada indicate that fire seasons are lengthening, and fire weather conditions are becoming more extreme, particularly in northern provinces such as Manitoba.3  As a result, conventional firefighting infrastructure, often permanent, centralized, and slow to deploy, is increasingly inadequate for responding to rapidly evolving fire events.

My thesis is to investigate the design of a temporary, rapidly deployable firefighter base camp tailored to the fire-prone and remote landscapes of Northern Manitoba. The project explores modular prefabricated systems that prioritize speed of deployment, adaptability, fire resistance, and logistical efficiency under emergency conditions. The proposed base camp integrates essential operational and support functions, including accommodation, medical triage, command and coordination spaces, and equipment storage, to enhance firefighter safety, operational effectiveness, and community resilience during wildfire events. Beyond immediate response needs, the design emphasizes physical recovery and mental well-being during prolonged deployments, recognizing the human demands of wildfire response. Conceived as a scalable, reusable, and minimally invasive infrastructure, the base camp can be rapidly installed, adapted, and removed as fire conditions evolve, positioning architectural design as a critical tool in strengthening climate-adaptive emergency infrastructure for Northern Manitoba’s most vulnerable communities.

1.Thompson Citizen, “Manitoba Wildfires Surge as Burned Area Tops One Million Hectares,” The Thompson Citizen, 2025.
2.Winnipeg Free Press, “Canada’s Wildfire Season Off to a Wild Start,” Winnipeg Free Press, June 4, 2025.
3.Natural Resources Canada, “Impacts of Climate Change on Forest Fire Regimes,” Government of Canada, last modified 2024.