Province takes early action to prepare for wildfire, drought season

The Province is taking several early steps to prepare for the wildfire and drought season, including working proactively with local governments and First Nations to help keep people and communities safe and informed.

“We’re taking action earlier than ever and preparations for this year’s wildfire season are already well underway,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “We have seen the devastating consequences of climate change on our communities and we are using lessons learned from last year to strengthen our approach to emergencies. By taking a whole-of-government approach and working with local governments, First Nations and emergency-response partners, we can ensure we are as prepared as possible for whatever might come.”

Stemming from the ongoing work of the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies, the Province has enhanced wildfire preparedness and support for evacuees across B.C. This work includes incorporating advanced wildfire predictive technologies, expanding the number of firefighting tools available to BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews and streamlining training for Emergency Support Services (ESS) responders. Additionally, the Province has strengthened the BCWS hiring process by creating pathways for participation in wildfire response, specifically for applicants in rural and remote communities. This has resulted in more than 1,700 applications, which is double the number of applications received in 2023.

“Last year’s wildfire season was the worst in our province’s history and we know how incredibly difficult it was for everyone,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “Our top priority is keeping people safe, which is why we continue to take significant action to prevent and prepare for wildfires as we head into spring and summer. We know the impacts of climate change are arriving faster than predicted. We will keep actioning the recommendations from the expert task force to make sure we are ready for wildfires when and where they happen.”

Following the 2023 wildfire season, the Province launched the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies to provide recommendations about how to apply lessons learned from the 2023 wildfire season to better prepare for and respond to future emergencies. The task force is collaborating with delivery teams from the ministries of Forests, and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. This model of real-time collaboration allows the Province to translate the task force’s recommendations into actions in advance of the 2024 wildfire season.

Current forecasts indicate that British Columbia may experience an active spring-wildfire season due to persistent drought conditions. This activity is expected to increase if there continues to be limited precipitation over the next several weeks and months. Until significant and sustained rains occur, the risk of ignition will remain elevated.

As of the snow bulletin on March 1, 2024, the average provincial snowpack is at 66% of normal, based on the average from 1991 to 2020. While a reduced snowpack may lessen the flood-risk hazard in some communities, extreme weather can still lead to flooding, and people and communities are encouraged to be prepared. There is also potential for prolonged drought, and communities and businesses are encouraged to take water-conservation measures early and plan for potential drought conditions.

“Many communities experienced severe drought conditions last summer. The potential for drought conditions this year is very real and we are taking steps to help people prepare,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “We have boosted community emergency grants, water infrastructure and supports for farmers and ranchers, and we will keep finding ways to support people, communities, businesses and wildlife in the face of drought.”