The 2018 Leadership Award
The Illinois Prescribed Fire Council’s Leadership Award recognizes individuals with exceptional achievements in the prescribed fire community.
BRAD SEMEL
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Brad Semel has been doing conservation and prescribed fire for over 25 years with IL DNR. He is currently a Heritage Biologist.
Brad keeps an active fire program going with significant acres burned annually and often in challenging urban environments. He has implemented fire work at sites that have not had fire in decades, with several examples of large and ambitious burn units. This year Brad helped burn over 5,000-acres in a single year, a personal best. Brad is generous in helping private landowners with Nature Preserves accomplish their fire work. He also has been on the Illinois Fire Crew for several seasons, where they are deployed on wildfires that typically occur out of state. In Illinois, Brad helps train, mentor and employ fire department staff through the Wildland Fire Crew. He has mentored many fire crew over the last quarter century. “Brad has the experience and confidence to attempt fires that are large and complex", says John Nelson of INPC. |
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THE 2018 Spark AWARD
The Illinois Prescribed Fire Council’s Spark Award recognizes individuals with high achievement early in a career.
JESSE RIECHMAN
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Southern Illinois Prescribed Burn Association (SIPBA) Coordinator
Riechman earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Miami University in Ohio before returning to the Carbondale area for a master's degree in Forestry from Southern Illinois University. Jesse was also an SIU “Firedawg” during his tenure there, working on numerous fire details while a student. Jesse became the coordinator for the Southern Illinois Prescribed Burn Association (SIPBA) in 2012, where as an Illinois Certified Prescribed Burn Manager he oversees the SIPBA prescribed fire program in the 11 southernmost counties of Illinois. Riechman has served as the State Chair of the Society of American Foresters and as a board member for the Friends of Touch of Nature and Friends of the Cache River. He served on the Makanda Township Fire Department for 13 years, earning the rank of Battalion Chief. Additionally, he is a wildland firefighter for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and has served on crews assigned to western wildfires. To date, SIPBA lists these accomplishments:
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