Region Archives: Canada West

According to a team of tornado researchers, the Jasper National Park wildfire may have spawned a rare fire tornado – or even two. Aaron Jaffe, a lead surveyor for the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP), is part of a team studying the destruction left by a fire storm in the Wabasso Campground area this summer… Fire tornadoes, according to Jaffe, are rare phenomena. If confirmed, this would be the second documented case in Canada. The first was confirmed by the NTP in Gun Lake, B.C. last August. In Jasper, Parks Canada officials estimated the winds from the fire storm reached between 150 km/h and 180 km/h – the equivalent to an EF-1 Tornado.

Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said on Wednesday that his ministry is not to blame for the fire that ripped through Jasper National Park this summer, devastating one-third of all structures in the Alberta mountain town, and that nothing could have been done to prevent it… Questions have been raised about whether the federal government, which oversees Jasper through Parks Canada, had done enough to prepare against a catastrophic wildfire, particularly given the amount of dead trees in the area, resulting from years of pine-beetle infestation. The environment minister told the committee that Jasper was one of Canada’s most “fire-prepared” communities before the 32,000-hectare blaze, which started in late July.

Additional coverage in Global News by Sean Boynton: Jasper wildfire: Minister urges ‘need to do more’ during heated testimony

Jeff McWilliams

…Currently there are about 40 thousand people living on the BC coast who directly rely on what has become an unstable industry. The forest sector for some time has been facing a shrinking fibre supply, high harvesting costs and inefficient aging mills. Thousands have already lost their jobs and there’s a great deal of pessimism about the future. Successive governments of all political stripes have tried quick fixes to the forest management framework without much success. Clearly a comprehensive policy review is badly needed. So, what comes next? Jeff McWilliams is a third-generation Registered BC Forester who believes through significant changes to land use planning, tenure and taxation a solution is possible. He says a key pillar would be the establishment of community and regional management of most forested areas. This proposed new management structure would include collaborations between First Nations and non-First Nations residents to oversee “Community Forests”.

PRINCE GEORGE, BC — Who is to blame? It is not just the political landscape that is changing but the picture of the altering economics must be seen through a new frame. …Yes, it was somehow foreseeable, but the recent announcement of closures of the Canfor sawmill in Fort St. John and the big Plateau Mill in Vanderhoof clearly confirms that our forestry industry is in deep trouble. How come? The steadily increasing tariffs along with relatively high taxes and stumpage fees cause lumber producers to not be competitive anymore. The government’s fault? Yes. If corporations cannot earn enough money to invest and stay alive, they must close. No doubt, wildfires and pine beetles have contributed to timber shortages, as well as wrong forest management and policies. …It is difficult to understand why we were unable to establish a secondary manufacturing industry, a wood value-adding industry.

A documentary film set to be screened in Campbell River on Oct. 9 seeks to inspire conservations around the condition of forests and the forestry industry in B.C. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Silvicola showcases the cultural and economic factors that both shape and constrain B.C.’s modern forestry practices. By exploring remote locations and worksites, the documentary provides a platform for workers to share their experiences. Erik Piikkila, a forest ecologist based in Ladysmith, who has worked for B.C.’s Ministry of Forestry, was interviewed in Silvicola, which is Latin for “inhabitant of a wood.” He is joining the film’s Vancouver Island tour in October, for the post event Q&A, alongside filmmaker, Jean-Philippe Marquis, Sierra Club BC’s Jens Wieting, and local expert guest speakers. The next day, Piikkila will lead a forest walk at Beaver Lodge Lands. Silvicola … takes a multi-sided approach, enabling forest workers with different perspectives to share their stories.

NORTHERN BC – In 2017, massive wildfires decimated hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest land in the Chilcotin. Percy Guichon, Executive Director with the Central Chilcotinn Rehabilitation Limited, says one of them was in his own region. “The Plateau fire in the Hanceville area. I mean, that was 800,000 hectares.” It left behind what would appear to be useless timber. Mere blackened shadows of a forest. But not so fast. “We feel we’re obligated to utilize and to rehabilitate these towns so they can, you know, become more productive for for future generations.” Forestry has been a part of Guichon’s life for years, starting as a tree planter. And much has changed in those subsequent years. Especially, the stewards of the land. “One of the big differences today is there’s a lot more First Nations within B.C. are involved and the forest management sector.”

John Streicker

Each year, from September 22 to 28, we celebrate National Forest Week across the Yukon and Canada. This is a meaningful time to reflect on the deep connection we share with the Yukon’s forests and to honour the role they play in our lives. Here in the Yukon, we have more than 28 million hectares of boreal forests that are essential to our ecological, cultural, social and economic wellbeing. As a government, we understand the responsibility we have to protect and manage this land. We strive to ensure that people and companies use our forest resources sustainably, while supporting socioeconomic opportunities and protecting our valuable forest ecosystems. We are pleased to join the Canadian Institute of Forestry to acknowledge this year’s national theme, Two-Eyed Seeing: Welcoming all knowledge to sustain our forests, integrating Traditional Knowledge and western science with mutual respect.

Additional coverage from The City of Toronto: Mayor Olivia Chow joins community to celebrate National Tree Day as part of the City of Toronto’s $15 million investment in 120,000 new trees and shrubs for 2024

From the Arrow Lakes News, by Tracey McKay: A little bit about Nakusp’s forests and logging – National Forest Week

Christine Gelowitz

Few realize that forestry is an applied science, which makes forest professionals, the people who practise professional forestry, de facto ‘working scientists.’ …Within forestry there are specialized fields such as silviculture, forest ecology, forest operations and forest conservation. …In addition to its scientific aspects, forestry can be an art. It involves developing forest management plans to delicately balance many dynamic—and sometimes conflicting—social, environmental, and economic values including biodiversity, wildlife habitat, wildfire management, water quality and watershed management, recreation opportunities, carbon sequestration, Indigenous values, public safety, timber production, and employment opportunities. …How forests were managed in the past is not how they are managed today, and not how they will be managed in the future. Forest professionals support this ongoing change. They are following the science and adapting their practices to meet changing forest conditions for the betterment of forests and the well-being of everyone living in this province.

Stephanie Ewen

In celebration of National Forest Week, we had the opportunity to sit down with Stephanie Ewen, Manager of the Alex Fraser Research Forest, to explore the unique challenges and rewards of managing one of UBC Forestry’s key research forests. Stephanie shares her insights on balancing conservation, education, and operational forestry within this dynamic landscape. “I am responsible for managing UBC’s area-base crown tenure for timber management that is the Alex Fraser Research Forest. We provide research and provide demonstration and education opportunities, while using timber revenue to cover our staff and infrastructure costs. …there are seasonal routines such as spring planting, summer forest development and road building, and winter harvesting that set the cadence of my role. Interspersed with those activities, I get the pleasure of working with researchers to help facilitate their projects, and provide teaching support to UBC Forestry’s various field-courses,” said Ewen.  

Last week, Fort St. John City Council attended the annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention, engaging with provincial ministries, collaborating with other local governments, and advocating for the priorities of northern communities. During meetings with provincial ministries, Council addressed various critical issues including: Closure of the Canfor sawmill; salvage logging of wildfire-impacted areas; and a year-round forest fire management program. Fort St. John also submitted four advocacy resolutions at the convention that included, supporting salvage logging of wildfire-impacted areas and establishing a year-round forest fire management program. Council also met with Canfor representatives regarding the decision to close the Fort St. John Sawmill, where Canfor cited delays in the provincial permitting process for timber harvesting as a key factor.

Federal officials and researchers say elevated levels of drought across the country are making wildfire seasons longer — particularly in northwestern Canada. At a technical briefing on Wednesday, researchers from several federal departments sharing their findings for this year said higher-than-normal drought levels are driving fire behaviour year-round, and fires are expected to burn at least until the winter in the Northwest Territories, northern Alberta and B.C. Yan Boulanger, a federal forest ecologist, said although fire behaviour is winding down across the country, the federal government will need to shift to a year-round fire management strategy. “We must continue to be vigilant against fires starting all year round,” he said. “We need to shift away from viewing wildland fires simply as seasonal events and move toward the concept of a continuous fire year.”

When wildfires ravaged the town of Jasper in July, it wasn’t hard for Banff residents to imagine it happening in their own mountain community. …Parks Canada says there is a combination of factors that are increasing the chance and severity of intense, faster-moving and longer-lasting wildfires that pose a risk to communities in mountain parks. …Parks Canada is taking steps to reduce the risk of wildfires in Banff National Park through several fire management projects in the fall and through the winter. In November, crews will begin thinning a 200-hectare area on Tunnel Mountain, using machines to clear mature pine and spruce trees. The goal is to reduce fuel for fires that could pose a risk to Banff, Harvie Heights and Canmore.

A British Columbia man is speaking out after the RCMP watchdog chastised a controversial unit for its “frequent unreasonable actions” at Fairy Creek in 2021. Brian Smallshaw, from Salt Spring Island, said he suspected the force was breaking the law. …In a scathing report completed last month, the commission found the Mounties wrongfully arrested Smallshaw. The company that owns the logging rights in the contested area, Teal-Jones Group, was granted an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court prohibiting protesters from blocking access to roads and company activity. The report harshly criticizes the RCMP’s Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) for using legally unjustified, “disproportionately intrusive” methods when enforcing that injunction. …The report says the complaints commission made similar findings about C-IRG in three subsequent reviews, which are not yet public. …In a statement, the RCMP agreed with the recommendations, including that someone should apologize to Smallshaw.

Reconciliation is a provincial imperative, embedded in law, and there is real progress and change. In 2019, government passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act). …Through this work, government is building a province where Indigenous excellence, leadership, governance and self-determination are recognized and respected. …Reconciliation agreements [with significant forestry components] include:

• B.C. increases forest revenue sharing with First Nations: To ensure First Nations see immediate benefits while the new model is being developed, B.C. is providing an interim increase to the rates under the existing forestry revenue sharing program. (April 2022) 
• Conservation strengthened in Great Bear Rainforest: The Province and Kwiakah First Nation have created a new Special Forest Management Area supporting regenerative forestry and conservation in the southern Great Bear Rainforest. (May 2024)

DELTA, BC — Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) unveiled a commemorative cairn honouring George Reifel, a long-time advocate of waterfowl and wetland conservation and a passionate supporter of DUC. The ceremony took place at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a conservation area named for Reifel’s grandfather, George C. Reifel, that represents the Reifel family’s enduring commitment to wildlife and habitat preservation. …”George Reifel’s dedication to conservation has left an enduring mark on our landscapes and our organization,” said Michael Nadler, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada. “The sanctuary and wetlands he and his family helped protect will continue to flourish as living tributes to their efforts. His dedication and selfless contributions are worthy of celebration, and recognition.”

Mike Waters

Students in the Alberni Valley will return to McLean Mill for a series of activities to celebrate National Forestry Week. Ryan Price of BC Timber Sales says the program was paused during the pandemic. Price is one of several forestry professionals, including the South Island office of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, working together to bring the curriculum-based event to more than 250 Grade 5 students in School District 70. …Stations include tree and vegetation identification with Tsawak-qin, information on how karst and forestry work together from an NIC representative, salmon enhancement with the Port Alberni Hatchery, fish habitat with Reddfish, wildfire prevention and management from B.C. Wildfire Service and remote sensing and computer-aided work in forestry from Forsite. Professionals from Mosaic Forest Management company will talk about drone technology and how it is used in forestry.

Dominik Roeser

Dominik Roeser is an Associate Professor in Forest Operations in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. His primary role is supporting students on their journey at UBC, both in the classroom and during our field schools. His teaching and research are focused on developing innovative forest operations solutions to enhance the management of British Columbia’s remarkable forests. In his new role as Associate Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach, he has the opportunity to work alongside an outstanding team at our Alex Fraser and Malcolm Knapp research forests. Roeser’s primary responsibilities include strengthening the connections between the Faculty of Forestry and their research forests, and providing strategic direction for a range of exciting projects that will make the Faculty of Forestry an even better place to study and conduct research in the future. 

Like most First Nations here, Wet’suwet’en never signed treaties with the Canadian or provincial governments. Nevertheless, the latter took the land and leased forested acreage to logging companies. Caas Tl’aat Kwah (also known as Serb Creek) is in the crosshairs of a debate over the scope of First Nations’ agency, biodiversity loss and protection – and the role industrial logging plays in amplifying Canada’s forest fires, the effects of which are being felt across the globe… In recent years, British Columbia and Canada have both passed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which requires “free, prior, and informed consent”. However, Canadian and provincial governments do not give Nations veto power over development projects within their territories.

About 516 years ago, a Douglas fir seed germinated not far from what would become known as the Nitinat River, west of Cowichan Lake. It coincided with some of the most significant convergences of peoples, cultures and climate in North America’s and British Columbia’s history… An updated display at the forestry centre on West Burnside Road now chronicles those intersecting timelines. Instead of the single Euro-focused timeline of the previous display housed in the forestry centre’s lobby for 55 years, the revised exhibit documents local Indigenous and settler historic milestones, the tree’s own significant lifetime events, and changes in climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide for the five centuries recorded in the growth rings in the discs of the first-growth behemoth and a corresponding second-growth tree.

Forestry contractors from Campbell River to Duncan were recently recognized for their commitment to workplace safety and excellence. Mosaic Forest Management presented the awards last month at its annual safety conference in Nanaimo. From Campbell River, Wahkash Contracting won the Excellence in Safety Culture and Innovation Award, Way Key LP won Indigenous Business of the Year, and Stewart Wheatley won the Leadership in Log Quality Award. From Courtenay, Chris Guthrie was selected as Crew Safety Champion, and Steve McArthur won the Life Saver Award. From the Nanaimo region Profor Consulting was recognized for Longstanding Safety Performance and Bill Boyes was chosen as Crew Safety Champ. And in the Duncan area Jordan River Logging was chosen for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion, John Hay won the Lifesaver Award, and DC Johnstone Excavating was chosen for Excellence in Environmental Performance.

In a news release issued on September 18, 2024, forestry communities from across northern and central BC came together to call on the government for the following:

1. Commence a structured tenure redistribution in accordance with ‘Modernizing Forestry Policy in BC, and ensure Municipalities and First Nations are empowered to manage our timber supply;
2. Expedite the expansion of Community Forests in BC; and
3. Work with Municipalities and First Nations to implement fire safe strategies that mitigate wildfires through regionally approved fire management practices.

“We are in desperate need of tenure redistribution in this Province, putting to rest the damage that commenced under previous governments when appurtenancy was removed without guardrails.” – Mayor Joan Atkinson, District of Mackenzie

Directors were mostly in favour of sending a letter to the Ministry of Forests in support of the Forestry Works for BC campaign, but will put off the final decision until October. Ken Kalesnikoff, president and CEO of Kalesnikoff Lumber, made a presentation to the board last month regarding the initiative, which seeks to raise awareness about forestry’s role in the well-being of rural and urban communities. Some directors didn’t want to stick to the template letter of support on Forestry Works for BC’s website, and hoped to include specific values of the board such as forestry’s role in wildfire mitigation and fibre diversion. Other directors thought the template was fine. Staff will draft a letter for directors to discuss during the October meeting. [END]

Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation is engaging in wildfire fuel management in Logan Lake. Since March 25, Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation (LNIBDC) has been working to thin out hazardous fuels at the Logan Lake Community Forest. Dubbed Logan Lake East (LLE) 1 and 2, the site or fuel treatment units the Band corporation has been contracted to manage is located approximately two kilometres from downtown Logan Lake and sits near critical infrastructure, access and evacuation routes, and recreational areas. According to the project description, exclusion of fire after European settlement has led to dense forests with excessive surface and ladder fuels. The proposed treatment will reduce canopy closure and create a more open understory, mimicking natural fire patterns in the region. “The idea is to reduce the potential for a highly volatile wildfire,” said LNIBDC general and forestry manager Don Gossoo. 

Brad Thorlakson

Vernon’s Brad Thorlakson has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Forest Products Association of Canada. He is the third generation of the Thorlakson family to lead Tolko Industries. The company’s name is derived from every second letter of the family’s name. “Brad Thorlakson’s impact on the forest sector has been profound. He has guided Tolko Industries, a proud B.C.-based family business, for many years with visionary leadership and a deep commitment to Tolko employees, community well-being, and sustainability,” Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Thorlakson was the company’s president and CEO from 2010 to 2024 before assuming the position of executive chairman. “My grandfather began our legacy in the forest industry 68 years ago. …I feel incredibly proud to continue and grow what he and my father built, a company committed to safety, with people who are passionate about sustainable forest management,” Thorlakson said.

Lana Wilhelm & Tom Grabowski

An employee of a Richmond-based pulp and paper company has won the Forest Products Association of Canada’s 2024 Women in Forestry Award. Lana Wilhelm, director of Indigenous relations at Paper Excellence, whose headquarters are in Richmond, was recognized for her leadership in sustainability and for encouraging diversity in the sector. Paper Excellence is a manufacturer of pulp and paper with a large number of mills and chipping plants across the country. The award was presented by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) at its 2024 Awards of Excellence this week in Ottawa. Originally from Ontario, Wilhelm has more than 20 years of experience in various forestry roles, and since joining Paper Excellence in 2019, she’s built a sustainable Indigenous relations program for more efficient communication between Indigenous, corporate and government agencies.

We need to coexist with wildfire… but what does it mean? It signifies something different to different people — to the Indigenous community evacuating three times in five years, the elderly couple with cardiopulmonary issues who struggle to breathe come August, or the small tourism operator watching as bookings drop year after year. …We have to invest in solutions that reduce risk and expense — solutions that contribute to economies and communities instead of draining them….The current thinking holds that total fire cost is six to 30 times the fire-suppression cost. But we don’t know for sure because B.C. doesn’t track it. …One solution to these mounting costs is Indigenous fire stewardship. After all, Indigenous peoples have coexisted with fire for millennia. They put fire on the land in spring and fall to create meadows, diversify species, and generate abundant harvests. 

Jason Fisher

Message from the Executive Director, Jason Fisher: Well, it has been two weeks since joining FESBC as executive director, and in that time, I have been to Kamloops, Victoria, Williams Lake and even, occasionally, my hometown of Prince George. I have been meeting the team and project proponents; our funders and Board members; and our trusted partners across B.C. And I can tell you that I am excited about the opportunity that FESBC represents, thrilled to be working with such an excellent team and humbled by the trust that’s been placed in me by the Board. Of course, its not all a bed of roses. Things are tough in the forest sector right now and there is no magic wand. People and communities are reeling from decisions and events outside of their control. But I remain hopeful and believe firmly that investing in our forests remains the right thing to do. 

KANANASKIS COUNTRY – Kananaskis Improvement District is planning to build fireguards to help shield area housing and infrastructure from wildfire. Plans include fireguards around the Lower Kananaskis Lake subdivision cabins, Bow Valley Provincial Park housing loop and YMCA Camp Chief Hector at a cost of about $160,000 for planning. If Kananaskis Improvement District’s (KID) grant application is approved, funding would come from the provincial Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta community fireguard program. “As we’ve discussed many times around this council table, forest fire is probably our biggest risk and biggest fear, and we’ve all seen what happened in Jasper and other communities,” said KID chair Melanie Gnyp at a Sept. 10 council meeting. “This is a great opportunity for us to try to get some funding to help protect our assets.”