Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Dylana Milobar

WILDFIRE RESPONSE IMPROVEMENTS

BC Forests Minister assures funding backs wildfire response improvements

May 3, 2019 | 5:23 PM

KAMLOOPS — Speaking in Kamloops today at the Interior Logging Association’s Conference, B.C Forests Minister says the provincial government is prepared for wildfire season, with what is shaping up to be a drier than normal spring for the Interior.

95 of the 108 recommendations made in the Abbott and Chapman Report have been undertaken, and the B.C Government hopes those measures will improve fire response and prevention.

“Those recommendations helped influence the budgeting process as well,” Donaldson says. “That’s going to allow us to bring crews in earlier, having them stay longer in the fall. Increased air support, both early season, mid season, late season. As well as some new technologies we’re testing.”

$101 million is allocated in the provincial budget for direct fire response, but the Minister says that does not mean there is a limit to what they will spend over the course of a fire season.

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“I just want people to know there will always be the financial support needed to fight fires in the province to keep people safe. And we’ve seen that in the past couple of years where the costs have been over $500 million each year,” he explains. “However, in between seasons for the firefighting service to know that there is a budget, and a budget increase, enables them to keep staff on longer, enables them to encourage staff to stay in the profession, and enables us to look at new technologies.”