New fire management officer hired for Superior and Chippewa National Forests in Minnesota

Duluth, Minn. – The Superior and Chippewa National Forests announced the hiring of Nick Petrack as the new forest fire management officer. 

Petrack started his career working summers as a wildland firefighter for the USDA Forest Service while attending college at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He continued advancing his career working at different national forests, including the Plumas National Forest/Los Padres National Forest in California, then to New Mexico and finally Montana.

The Superior has a special place in his heart, and he moved back to Minnesota to work on the Superior National Forest. Petrack has held several positions, including assistant engine captain, captain, fuels, zone fire management officer and recently Superior/Chippewa National Forest Fire Management Officer-Staff.

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“The national forests of Minnesota are very unique, challenging and provide lots of fire related challenges within the boreal forest landscape,” Petrack said. “I really enjoy and look forward to working with all of our agency partners including county government, state government such as the Minnesota DNR, federal government with the National Park Service, Tribal government, and our neighbors, Ontario.”

The forest fire management officer is responsible for providing leadership and program direction for the Forest’s fire and aviation management program. They are part of the Forest Leadership team and the Regional Cache/National Symbols committee.

They coordinate and develop long-and short-range fire management program plans, management activities and projects, and integrate the programs and activities with other resource departments, partners, tribes, and other agencies for landscape fire and fuels management.