As a lifelong resident and a professional forester in B.C. for more than three decades, with a 40-year wildfire suppression background, and previously recognized by the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) as a wildfire specialist, I am angered by the present state of wildfire management in our province.
The people of British Columbia deserve an independent review of how the BCWS manages wildfires. We need an in-depth analysis of the operations on the fireline, not another high-level report with a laundry list of recommendations that are largely ignored.
The present model has proven itself totally inadequate. It has failed to effectively respond to the growing threat of wildfires.
A wildfire management model that does not communicate with, organize or utilize First Nations and experienced local forest professionals is guaranteed to fail.
A model that increases wildfire costs and area burned, slows wildfire suppression responses and erodes the ability of B.C. to fight its own wildfires is not in the interest of British Columbians.
We will only be successful if our entire forest industry is organized and involved in wildfire management. Unfortunately, the present BCWS management has shown no interest in such a logical, cooperative approach. It can’t empire build on that model.
The BCWS would prefer to manage wildfires all by itself. It does not have the resources or knowledge to properly do so, but the agency refuses to include independent B.C. forest professionals and contractors to improve wildfire management. As a result, BCWS field staff is spread so thinly that they are ineffective and poorly supported.
When near collapse, the BCWS ignores B.C. forestry experts and parachutes in people from Australia, Quebec and elsewhere to make community-altering economic and forest-management decisions with zero local knowledge, experience or accountability.
That is unique to B.C. Other jurisdictions value, nurture and utilize their local resources. The BCWS prefers to hire anyone from anywhere, except from B.C., to manage our fires for us
The North Shuswap wildfire disaster is a further example of the failure of the present model.
A decision was made to ignite more than a dozen kilometres of highly valuable timber, in proximity to a forested community, without the resources to ensure it didn’t escape. This burn, conducted before the arrival of a fast-moving cold front with strong, erratic winds, was a very high-risk activity that may have made the situation worse.
The real tragedy is that the wildfire was still out of control after 39 days of burning. The readily available resources required to put that fire out on day one, or day 10 or day 20, were never coordinated or utilized.
The BCWS is full of dedicated, hardworking people. It is important to recognize and support the hard work of the initial attack crews, unit crews and on-the-ground personnel, real champions for doing this tough work. Equally, middle managers frustrated by their inability to fight wildfires effectively through engaging local contractors and professionals deserve support.
The frontline fire zone personnel are left struggling, their hands tied due to bureaucratic constraints. Urgent requests for fireline support are met with, “Someone from Ontario will be there in a week or two — maybe.”
No wonder our recent firefighting efforts have been so ineffective. We need a BCWS that leads a coordinated effort to manage wildfires in our province.
The roadblocks in the present system need to be identified and removed immediately. Wildfire suppression in B.C. will only be successful when all those who can help — including First Nations and forestry experts — re directly involved.
We need all hands on deck, a team working for the benefit of all British Columbians. That isn’t happening now.
