How a Unique, Specialized Degree can Equip Students with the Skills for Wildfire Management | QuickChat

As wildfires continue to pose a growing threat to communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) offers a unique Bachelor of Science in Wildfire Science and the Urban Interface program. Watch as Firehouse’s Peter Matthews speaks with Matt Rahn, the founding director of the CSUSM program, about how this specialized degree equips students with the skills needed to tackle the challenges in today’s wildfire management scenarios.

The program is designed for firefighters, officers, and public safety professionals and CSUSM emphasizes fire prevention, mitigation, and response strategies. Rahn shares how the curriculum was developed to provide practical education, drawing from actual wildland and WUI incidents to enhance learning outcomes. Whether students come from the fire service, emergency management, or forestry/park service backgrounds, the program is designed support student success for those with various backgrounds and experience levels.

Rahn explains how the degree prepares students to strengthen wildfire resilience in their communities, ensuring they are better equipped to prevent, manage, and recover from small- and large-scale WUI incidents. Rahn outlines career opportunities that available for graduates and explains how CSUSM’s program helps them through the entire journey.