Province of BC – Our recent report on “Fuel Management in the Wildland Urban Interface” highlights issues such as the limited government resources to respond to wildfires where communities are at risk, and inadequate efforts by communities to treat forest fuels to protect homes and surrounding property from wildfire risk. In our report, the board makes a number of recommendations and suggests ideas for how to
improve the situation and reduce the risk to property and lives. For example, one of the most effective actions individuals can take is to FireSmart their property.

As of Sept. 17, B.C. has experienced 1,810 wildfires which burned over 298 000 hectares. Within weeks of the fire season start, the provincial government’s $63 million allocated for fighting the fires
was depleted, and the total spent now stands at $272 million – money spent reacting to fires to protect communities and infrastructure. By comparison, our report found that just $60 million was invested in the strategic wildland fire prevention initiative over the past 10 years, with an additional $500,000 announced this past week.

Our findings highlight B.C.’s need to get ahead of the game through wildfire prevention and readiness so we can save on the costs of fighting fires and, more importantly, reduce the risks to people’s homes and properties – and lives. Most communities in B.C. have a Community Wildfire Protection Plan now, and those that don’t should. But a plan doesn’t help if it’s not implemented and hazard fuels are not treated.