Region Archives: Canada West

A new UBC-led study into wildfire risk in Whistler finds residents report near-universal concern about wildfire, a level of awareness that is driving high rates of mitigation work on properties—but not the same level of preparedness for an emergency. The research suggests “strong leadership” in local FireSmart programs is contributing to the uptake of mitigation techniques while pointing to a possible trade-off: residents who have reduced risk around their homes may be less focused on planning what to do if a wildfire occurs. “People are very aware of the risk, but we’re not seeing very high level of preparedness,” said study author Adeniyi P. Asiyanbi, an assistant professor at UBC Okanagan. …Drawing on 234 survey responses, the study finds high levels of concern across the community, with 91 per cent reporting they are “concerned” or “very concerned” about wildfires in Whistler, and 80 per cent rating overall risk as “high” or “extreme.”

Climate change is making Vancouver Island more prone to wildfires, and the Homalco First Nation is taking proactive steps to prepare. To protect the community during wildfire season, the Nation has started a project designed to reduce wildfire risks in its privately owned forest next to the Homalco community south of Campbell River. Thinning the forest will make it less prone to fire and provide the community with another escape route in case of an emergency, says the Nation. …Ken Dodd, the manager of forest values with the Nation, said the abundance of ladder fuel, coupled with densely packed trees, could lead to a catastrophic forest fire if one were to ignite. …Dodd explained that the thinning technique replicates the qualities of an old-growth forest… Quentin Stefani, with Integrated Operations Group, the company hired to conduct the thinning, said the technology is typically used to thin forests in Europe. 

Kira Hoffman

Kira Hoffman has been lighting fires since the age of seven, when she learned how to conduct planned burns on her parents’ farm. Now a fire ecologist at the University of British Columbia, she researches wildfire behavior and Indigenous-led fire stewardship, working in partnership with the Gitanyow, Cheslatta Carrier and Wet’suwet’en Nations. Hoffman was recently recognized with a prestigious National Geographic 33 award… She spoke with CBC Daybreak North host Carolina de Ryk about how fire benefits the land, the group effort behind her work and what she’s expecting in the wildfire season ahead. Click Read More for the interview transcript.

Recent headlines have made clear the need for change in B.C.’s forest sector. Immediate action is needed to further diversify forest operations and access to fibre, opening doors to innovation and value-added products. We can and should emphasise building with renewable materials sourced from B.C. timber, such as expanding local production of mass timber and continuing to advance tall wood construction. It’s also time to take stock of our collective long-term vision for forestry in the province, including its role in impacting our physical and psychological health, both collectively and individually. The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES) at the University of British Columbia is doing just that. Interdisciplinary environmental and forestry pursuits are engrained in its research, teaching and community outreach — why they lengthened their name from the Faculty of Forestry to the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in January.

Harrison Hot Springs leaders may be taking their forestry-related concerns right to the provincial government. During Monday’s council meeting, Harrison Hot Springs council voted 1-4 to defeat a motion from Coun. Mark Schweinbenz to direct village staff to speak with a number of entities concerning large-scale, clear-cut forestry and its effects on the community. Schweinbenz was the sole assenting vote. “Every year, we get a letter from (B.C. Timber Sales), and it’s confusing and obfuscates what is really going on,” Schweinbenz said. “I don’t think we have any real input and I think the citizens of Harrison Hot Springs are frustrated by that. I think that should change.” …Instead of engaging with multiple agencies such as the B.C. Timber Sales Chilliwack Forest District, local First Nations leaders and neighbouring communities, council will consider requesting a meeting with the Minister of Forests at the 2026 UBCM Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre in September.

Fire Information Officer Amanda Cullum said effective at noon tomorrow (April 23) all Category 2 and 3 open fires must be fully extinguished. “The prohibitions will remain in place until noon on October 31, 2026, or until the Orders are rescinded. These prohibitions apply to the entire Cariboo Fire Centre including the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Title area, the 100 Mile House Forest District and the Quesnel Forest District.” …Cullum said the prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires that are 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide or smaller, and CSA-rated or ULC rated outdoor stoves for cooking, heat or ambiance that burns charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and has a flame height that is less that 15 cm tall.

See all Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions on the BC Wildfire Service website

The board of the Regional District of Central Kootenay voted on April 16 to write a letter to the provincial government in support of a group of rural water users near Nelway. The Rosebud Community Watershed Protection Group wants two adjacent watersheds preserved as a provincially protected area or as ecological reserve. The Lomond Creek and Rosebud Creek watersheds provide water for about 25 households… Rosebud Creek drains into the Salmo River and Lomond Creek into the Pend Oreille River. The total area of the two small adjacent watersheds is 2,250 hectares. “We’re trying to get the province of B.C. to declare this area a protected area to protect the wildlife corridor and to also protect our watershed from logging by B.C. Timber Sales,” said group spokesperson Dave Lang. B.C. Timber Sales is building roads, he said, preparing to log in the area, and residents are worried about … their water supply. 

Council heard from Mosaic Forest Management representatives Jimmie Hodgson and Francis Guyver, who provided an overview of the company’s role in the coastal forestry sector, including timber markets, sustainability initiatives and wildfire preparedness. The presentation also highlighted watershed management work in the Ladysmith area and ongoing partnerships with Indigenous communities. Representatives invited council to participate in a field tour of Mosaic-managed lands.

In October 2025, the Regional Parks Committee tasked staff with looking at a potential Strategic Forest Management and FireSmart Plan, including budget. With a report in hand, the committee agreed to embark on a phased approach to develop a forest management plan for regional parks with key considerations including wildfire risk reduction, ecological values, cultural considerations and FireSmart principles in 2027. The first step would include a request for proposal process, with a price tag of up to $75,000 from the 2027 budget, to retain a qualified consultant to assist in developing a Strategic Forest Management Plan framework guiding future wildfire risk reduction and forest resilience efforts, the parks committee agreed during its April 22 meeting.

On May 2, volunteers will converge on the Bush Creek hatchery in Ladysmith to haul illegally dumped waste out of the surrounding forest and watershed. Over the past three years, the community cleanup has removed nearly 160 tonnes of garbage, the equivalent of 23 fully loaded dump trucks. “Illegal dumping is a serious offence – one that harms our forests and puts communities at risk,” remarked Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. Mosaic Forest Management will once again supply staff volunteers, donated materials and disposal support …This summer, Mosaic is expanding its response beyond cleanups. The company is launching See Something, Snap Something, a public reporting pilot that will invite anyone recreating on Mosaic lands to photograph and report online illegal dumping they encounter. The data will help identify hot spots and trends and build an evidence base for working with local authorities on enforcement. …More information on Mosaic’s reporting pilot will be available at MosaicForests.com this summer. 

On Saturday, March 28, 2026, a fire at Evans Lake resulted in the loss of two buildings, including four cabins. We are deeply grateful that no campers were on site and all staff are safe—but the loss to our community is significant. We want to sincerely thank Squamish Fire & Rescue, Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department, RCMP, Conservation Officers, our team, and a member of our community for their quick and compassionate response. Right now, our focus is on recovery. While we are insured, there are always substantial costs that aren’t fully covered. As we begin to rebuild, many have asked how they can help. Donations made here will directly support urgent recovery needs, replacement of essential spaces, and ongoing operations—helping ensure we can continue to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for thousands of children and families.

Ben Parfitt

You would be forgiven for thinking that British Columba’s Ministry of Forests is really the Ministry of Logging. A recent ministry news release boasts of a 30 per cent increase in timber auctioned, legislative amendments that will result in 17,700 more truckloads of logs coming out of the province’s forests each year, and a new streamlined permitting process that will add another 11,100 truckloads of logs to the mix. Ravi Parmar, the man overseeing all of this as forests minister, is certainly working hard to meet the mandate given to him by Premier David Eby, one that instructs him to increase logging rates and that sets a numerical target. But what of old-growth forest conservation, which is also part of Parmar’s mandate? There, Parmar has acted with decidedly less zeal. …Parmar and his predecessors have clearly encouraged more logging by First Nations on the grounds that it fosters a long-overdue new relationship with Indigenous Peoples and governments in the province.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District Board is set to weigh in on 15 new or modified cutblocks BC Timber Sales is proposing over the next five years — and may withhold support for eight of those. On April 30, the SCRD board is slated to consider a large package of local comments responding to BC Timber Sales’ 2026-2030 operating plan. According to BCTS’s website, its Chinook region (which includes the lower Sunshine Coast) led this initiative, “to provide more detailed information on planned activities over a longer time period to our identified stakeholders.” At the April 16 electoral services committee meeting, rural area directors supported forwarding comments from the five area advisory planning commissions to BCTS. That would be in addition to recommendations from regional staff reviewed by committee of the whole on April 9.

A new old-growth logging controversy is unfolding in British Columbia, dividing Indigenous leaders and pitting the provincial government against scientists and conservation groups. The Tsitika River watershed …was deemed to be at such high risk of biodiversity loss that the B.C. government placed it in an old-growth deferral area, off limits to logging. But last year, the government quietly removed a large tract of the forest from its old-growth deferral list. And then in March, the government agency BC Timber Sales auctioned off 24 hectares for clearcutting. …The B.C. Forests Ministry told The Tyee it approved the Tsitika cutblock following consultation with Tlowitsis Nation, We Wai Kai Nation, Wei Wai Kum First Nation and Kwakiutl First Nation, “on whose territory this cutblock overlaps.” But other Indigenous leaders, including Ma’a̱mtagila Hereditary Chief Rande Cook, whose ancestors stewarded the Tsitika area, strongly object to logging.

©CityofEdmonton

The City of Edmonton has released its Wildfire Risk Strategy, as Canada has seen an increase in wildfires over the last few years. The City says it is developing a roadmap for a coordinated approach to protecting people, property, and natural areas. “This strategy flows from our commitment to building a resilient city where we are aware of the risks associated with climate change, including wildfires, and protect our ecosystems and communities through proactive planning,” said Kent Snyder, Branch Manager of Planning and Environment Services. …Through the strategy, the City will look to minimize ignition risk through vegetation management and updated development regulations, increase community awareness and support initiatives such as the FireSmart™ Neighbourhood Recognition Program, strengthen integrated emergency response and specialized wildfire training across City departments, and Collaborate with regional partners and Indigenous communities to build landscape-level resilience.

Rena Dehne

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A wildfire technician from the Fort Nelson fire zone has won an award at the recent BC Wildland Firefighter Award. Rena Dehne, a wildfire technician for BC Wildfire Service, was given the Vanguard Award at the recent 2026 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit that was held from April 8th to April 12th. As a wildfire technician, Dehne’s job supports both wildfire response and fire management within her respective zone, including contributing to fire preparedness and prevention work. According to Dehen, the Vanguard Award is a “specific honor” within the BC Wildland Firefighters Award “This award recognizes an early career wildland firefighter with 10 years or less of experience who demonstrates excellence, dedication and leadership within their role,” Dehne explained. Dehne was humbled and surprised when she won this award.