By Canadian Press

B.C. premier defends not declaring state of emergency over wildfires

Jul 16, 2021 | 1:11 PM

VANCOUVER — There would be few advantages to declaring a provincial state of emergency in the battle against wildfires in British Columbia as the province uses all of its available resources to fight them, Premier John Horgan said Friday.

Opposition politicians and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, parts of which were under evacuation orders or alerts, have urged Horgan to declare an emergency. 

“If there was a state of emergency called today, it would have no impact on resources because they are already in place,” Horgan said at a news conference. “We’re putting all hands on deck and the state of emergency is not required to do that.”

Firefighters from Quebec and Mexico are en route to assist with local efforts, Horgan added.

More than 300 wildfires were burning in the province on Friday, affecting about 1,500 properties where residents were ordered to leave earlier this week and evacuation alerts remained in effect for many more, including the entire communities of 100 Mile House, Ashcroft and Cache Creek.

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Horgan said he would declare a state of emergency only when told to by firefighters and Emergency Management BC.

Brendan Ralfs of Emergency Management BC told a media briefing on Thursday that a state of emergency would change little in the firefighting effort.

“During this current event, a provincial declaration of state of emergency has not been necessary to provide assistance to people, to access funding, or to co-ordinate or obtain additional resources,” he said, adding one would be called if it was required.

Environment Canada says heat warnings for parts of the central and southern Interior have ended but wildfire smoke means air quality advisories were posted for most of the eastern half of B.C., with conditions not expected to improve through the weekend.

Some parts of the Interior could see showers, but the weather office says any rain in the wildfire-ringed area of 100 Mile House over the next 24 hours could be accompanied by lightning.

About 69 per cent of the active fires listed by the BC Wildfire Service on Friday were believed to have been started by lightning.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2021.

Nick Wells, The Canadian Press