Region Archives: Canada West

Prescribed burning is getting renewed attention in parts of B.C. as communities look for ways to reduce wildfire risk before summer. In Kimberley, B.C., that conversation recently took residents onto the trails near the city’s nature park. The city-led walk gave residents a look at treated areas where crews have been reducing forest fuels. They also heard from local fire officials and wildfire specialists about how planned fire can help protect nearby homes, trails and forested parkland from wildfire risk. Kimberley Fire Department Chief Will Booth says the tour was meant to help residents understand prescribed burning before more fuel management work happens in the city. The local tour comes as prescribed and cultural burning are getting more public attention after years of being less visible. …Bob Gray, a wildland fire ecologist and fire scientist, says warmer temperatures and drought are adding pressure to forests that already have too many trees competing for moisture.

The independently-produced B.C. documentary, BC is Burning, has drawn more than 160,000 YouTube views and earned four Leo Award nominations in its first week of public release. The documentary, a 47-minute film released May 20, has attracted viewers from eight countries, including Canada, the United States, Australia and Finland. It has received nominations for best picture, best direction, best picture editing and best sound in the short documentary category at the 2026 Leo Awards. “We are very honoured by this recognition from the B.C.film community,” says producer and director Murray Wilson, adding the response shows “this conversation about BC forests and wildfire is resonating with many people.” …Earlier this year the documentary took home Okanagan Screen Awards for best feature documentary, best director and best cinematography. The 2026 Leo Awards take place July 4 and 5 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, with winners selected by industry professionals from more than 1,400 entries.

British Columbia’s forests support a diversity of trees, plants, fungi and wildlife, while also providing recreational opportunities, cultural values, and economic benefits to communities. As we recognized the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22 and Wildfire Awareness Month throughout May, it’s an important time to reflect on the connection between healthy forests, resilient ecosystems, and the communities and wildlife that depend on them. Wildfire resilience and biodiversity are deeply connected. Thoughtful forest management activities, including strategic fuel reduction treatments and cultural and prescribed burning, can help reduce wildfire risk while also creating healthier and more diverse forest ecosystems for generations to come. …Today, FESBC is investing in treatments that reduce wildfire risk around communities, infrastructure and other resources. We are supporting the return of cultural and prescribed burning to the landscape. We are asking questions about how wildfire risk reduction treatments can also support biodiversity and other forest values, such as recreation.

Experts are calling on the B.C. government to halt logging in a Tsitika watershed cutblock on northern Vancouver Island that has been designated for old-growth deferral. But the some First Nations whose territory it falls in say they have their own approach to managing the area sustainably. Pacific Wild, an environmental organization, says B.C. Timber Sales (BCTS) is selling off rare and ecologically significant forests for minimal economic return. In letters sent to BCTS and other government decision-makers in April, the organization presented new data, maps and field evidence showing that cutblock TA1375 — identified by the Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel as a Priority Deferral Area — provides essential habitat for threatened species and stores significant amounts of carbon. The cutblock was auctioned in March despite opposition from scientists, community members and many First Nations whose territories overlap with the Tsitika watershed.

Residents and visitors to Cowichan Bay on Saturday, May 30 take note. A large-scale exercise to help emergency responders train for potential wildfires is taking place in Cowichan Bay from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Please do not be alarmed and help ensure crews can safely complete their training by obeying signage and giving personnel and equipment plenty of space,” said CVRD spokesperson Lisa Moilanen. The exercise will include Shawnigan Lake, Malahat, Mill Bay, Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Sahtlam, Ladysmith, and North Oyster fire departments, as well as BC Wildfire Services and more “working, practicing and learning together to help be aligned, prepared and keep our communities safe,” Moilanen added. The exercise features a scenario where a forest fire is threatening a developed area or community. Moilanen said people will notice emergency vehicles, personnel, traffic cones, and wildfire response activities around Falcon Crescent, and Wilmot, Galdwell, Rondeault, and Hillbank Roads.

When the United Nations released its Global Forest Goals Report 2026 this month in New York, the expertise behind it traced back to the classrooms of UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Master of International Forestry program. Professor Terry Sunderland and Lecturer Peter Wood, director and coordinator of the MIF program respectively, served as lead authors of the report, released at the UN Forum on Forests. It is one of the most comprehensive assessments of global forest management ever produced, drawing on voluntary submissions from 48 nations representing more than half of the world’s forests. The fact the report’s lead authors are also shaping the next generation of international forestry professionals at UBC FES is no coincidence — it is exactly the kind of real-world engagement the MIF program is built around.

When you hear a wildfire is classified as Out of Control, it’s easy to picture massive flames racing through the forest. But Out of Control is used as an operational term, not a description of how dramatic or aggressive a wildfire looks. A wildfire is classified as Out of Control when it is spreading, or expected to spread, beyond the current containment lines. Think of it like plumbing, a slow leak and a burst pipe are both uncontrolled situations, but they behave very differently. One may grow slowly over time and require monitoring and management. The other may move quickly and need immediate, aggressive action. Wildfires can behave the same way.

HAZELTON – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and timber sale licence holders in the Kispiox Timber Supply Area (TSA) portion of the Skeena Business Area, starting Monday, June 1, 2026. The audit will examine harvesting, roads, silviculture, protection activities and associated planning. These activities will be assessed for compliance under the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. BCTS operates throughout the Kispiox TSA, within the Skeena Stikine Natural Resource District. Activities in the audit area are administered from the Hazelton Field Office. The audit area overlaps the territories of the Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en, Gitanyow, Nisga’a, Lake Babine Nation, Kitselas, and Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Ha First Nations. …The area includes mountainous terrain, rivers and lakes that support recreation, wildlife habitat and important fish populations, including several salmon species, bull trout, Dolly Varden and lake trout.

Three Sea to Sky organizations have been named the inaugural recipients of the Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) Community Benefit Program, which has awarded more than $25,000 to projects tied to forest education, habitat stewardship, recreation access, and invasive species management. The funding, announced on May 19, comes from the community forest’s carbon offset sales revenue. …The community forest said the program reflects its broader goal of operating “as a model of regenerative forestry and reconciliation” while supporting partner communities through locally driven initiatives. The announcement comes ahead of the CCF’s spring 2026 information session, scheduled for May 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Istken Room at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Lindsay Cuff

Lindsay Cuff is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, jointly appointed with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. She has developed, implemented, and shared innovative approaches to teaching and strives to weave real-world applications into the classroom. She is a UBC Sustainability Fellow, contributes to an interdisciplinary team developing an Indigenous Land Stewardship Program, and is the author of the open educational textbook Writing Place. As an instructor of discipline-specific scholarly writing, Lindsay supports students from diverse backgrounds, including those in their first year, helping them discover writing as a powerful tool for learning, reflection, and connection. Her impact is reflected in the outstanding feedback she receives from students, who consistently describe her teaching as motivating, engaging, and inspiring.

As wildfire seasons become longer and more destructive, Alberta electricity providers are introducing programs designed to intentionally shut off power in high-risk areas, like the Bow Valley, before wildfires start. The strategy, known as Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), involves intentionally shutting off electricity during extreme conditions to reduce the risk of power lines sparking wildfires. This month, electricity providers AltaLink and FortisAlberta presented the program to Canmore town council. …Utilities say the decision to proactively shut off power would depend on extreme weather conditions such as wind speed, humidity, vegetation dryness and wildfire danger ratings —all of which can increase the risk of power lines sparking a wildfire. “It is not a decision we take lightly,” says AltaLink vice-president of operations Evan Mitchell. “We need to see conditions where, if a spark were to start, there is a risk it could produce a catastrophic wildfire.”

Local residents are being invited to help shape the next decade of local forestry management at an upcoming public open house in Coldstream. The provincial government, in partnership with local First Nations groups, are hosting a joint engagement session on Monday, June 8, to gather community feedback on the development of the tmíxʷ naqscn Forest Landscape Plan (FLP). …The new FLP framework is a legal mechanism designed to replace older Forest Stewardship Plans. Once established by the chief forester, the 10-year plan will govern all timber harvesting, road layout and silviculture activities for BC Timber Sales and local forest licensees across the region’s watersheds. …The finalized FLP will shift the focus toward long-term ecosystem health, addressing critical modern challenges such as wildfire risk reduction, climate change adaptation, old-growth protection, and biodiversity, while maintaining a predictable and sustainable timber supply

David Broadland of The Evergreen Alliance is asking the Forest Practices Board to launch an investigation into the role that MOSAIC Forestry played in the Mount Underwood fire last summer. …MOSAIC communications manager Olivia Lyle said the Mount Underwood was deemed not related to their harvesting practices and they are confident in their fire hazard management practices. Listed as “human caused”, within 70 hours the August 11th fire became the biggest fire on Vancouver Island in almost 60 years… The Forest Practices Board has yet to comment on the complaint.

City of Powell River Council has approved the spring 2026 not-for-profit organization grants from the Powell River Community Forest reserve fund, with 12 grants, totalling $304,836.68, to be distributed to community organizations. At the May 21 city council meeting, interim manager of partnerships, intergovernmental and public relations Susan Auchterlonie outlined the granting process, indicating the community forest board reviews the applications and recommends grants to be awarded for council consideration, in both spring and fall allocations. She said the community forest board also provides input on projects submitted by the city that utilize the community forest reserve fund. Auchterlonie said a budget of $1.2 million was approved in the 2026 to 2030 financial plan, which is $600,000 for spring and $600,000 for fall grant distribution.

BURNABY, BC – New research from BCAA reveals nearly two-thirds of British Columbians expect this summer’s wildfire season to be worse than usual, with half reporting they feel scared about potential impacts. Yet, despite nearly three quarters describing wildfires as “an overwhelming challenge for BC”, a powerful resolve for action and a sense of hope shine through: Over two-thirds are likely to take action to reduce wildfire risk; six in ten say taking even a small action would give them a sense of hope; and three-quarters are hopeful that BC can become more resilient to wildfires. Championing this collective spirit of hope and resilience, BCAA’s summer Fireweed Pin Campaign is kicking off for its second year… One hundred per cent of Fireweed Pin proceeds directly supports wildfire resilience and recovery work through two organizations: First Nations’ Emergency Services Society (FNESS) and Canadian Mental Health Association BC (CMHA BC).

@NWT Fire

The N.W.T. government has developed new guidelines for managing wildfires in the territory, as it tries to reckon with the worsening impacts of climate change. The guidelines say they are the fruit of a “common mission”: improving “fire services and response … to protect the people we serve, the places they live, the critical infrastructure they rely on, and their social, cultural, and economic well-being.” They focus on wildland urban interfaces… In 2023, nearly two-thirds of the territory’s residents were forced to evacuate due to encroaching wildfires, including near Yellowknife. The evacuation forced a reckoning with emergency preparedness across the territory, as climate change makes forest fire seasons worse and harder to predict. The guidelines say the intended goal is to standardize training for local wildland firefighters, and establish standards around payment for services, deployment and management of resources, and techniques for use in the field.

Join the Pacific Salmon Foundation for a timely and thought-provoking online seminar exploring the future of Pacific salmon recovery in British Columbia. Despite record-high salmon abundances in parts of the Pacific Ocean, many salmon stocks — particularly in the southern regions of BC — continue to decline, threatening biodiversity, fisheries, and food security. This engaging presentation will examine how physical and management barriers are impacting salmon recovery, and highlight innovative, science-based solutions now being developed through collaborative research. Topics include “fish-friendlier” fisheries practices and improved passage infrastructure designed to help restore struggling salmon populations. The seminar features presenter Dr. Scott Hinch, Professor and Associate Dean of Students in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, with moderation by Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer & Vice President of the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
When: June 11, 2026 | 12 pm | Where: Online via Zoom | Cost: Free and open to everyone

“Lookouts are pretty simple,” says B.C. fire-watcher Bart Vanderlinde. “You have a guy looking for a forest fire 12 hours a day.” High atop Sinkut Mountain in northern B.C., Vanderlinde begins each summer day the same way — scanning the forest for smoke. “You get up, get out of bed … grab the binoculars and scan around,” he says. Vanderlinde is among the last fire-watchers in the province. Where more than 300 lookouts once formed an interconnected network, he now often finds himself keeping guard alone. The Last of the Lookouts is a portrait of a profession that will soon be obsolete. It follows Vanderlinde during what may be his last summer on the job. As of 2025, most of B.C.’s watchtowers had been decommissioned, replaced by new technology — including aerial detection — and improved public reporting. 

An award-winning documentary about B.C.’s wildfire crisis is now available for anyone to watch free on YouTube. B.C. Is Burning went public May 20, released online after more than a year of community screenings across the province. The film, produced and directed by retired forester and filmmaker Murray Wilson, and Kelowna entrepreneur Rick Maddison, examines how forest conditions, climate, fuel accumulation and land management practices are driving wildfire risk in British Columbia. “This film started as an attempt to better understand why wildfire seasons are becoming more destructive and what practical steps may help reduce future risk,” said Wilson. The documentary features foresters, wildfire researchers, emergency management professionals and Indigenous voices, and looks at the growing toll fire and smoke are taking on communities across western Canada. …“The response from communities across B.C. showed there is a real appetite for thoughtful, respectful discussion around forests, wildfire, and community safety,” Wilson said.

ALBERTA — West Fraser says its proposed Mount Tecumseh Harvest Plan would cover 474 hectares and is scheduled to begin in 2026, with the company stating the work is part of a broader approach to sustainable forest management and wildfire risk reduction near communities. In an emailed response to the Crowsnest Pass Herald, Joyce Wagenaar, director of communications for West Fraser, said harvest planning is a key part of the company’s work and allows it to source timber for renewable wood products used in home construction and other purposes. “Harvesting plans are a key component of our work at West Fraser enabling us to responsibly source timber to produce renewable wood products to support home construction and other uses,” Wagenaar said. She said West Fraser views sustainable forest management as an approach that balances environmental, social and economic values over multiple generations. …Wagenaar said questions specifically about the provincial program would be best answered by the Government of Alberta.

Robert Michell

Robert Michell is thinking in decades, not quarters. As elected Chief of the Stellat’en First Nation, he brings a rare mix of legal training and deep forestry experience to the role. The community sits between Vanderhoof and Burns Lake, near the geographic centre of British Columbia, in a region shaped by timber and now by transition. Michell is not new to the sector. After graduating from law school, he chose the North over Vancouver. “I’m a northern boy and I like the north,” he says. That decision led him into decades of work in the forest industry. It also shaped how he now approaches economic development for his community. The closures of major forestry operations have not hit Stellat’en as hard as some nearby towns. That is by design. The Nation has already begun to diversify, moving into areas like energy development.

The biggest comprehensive literature review to date has confirmed that Indigenous stewardship bolsters conservation goals. The literature review was published recently in People and Nature and found “a clear, positive relationship” between conservation and Indigenous stewardship, said lead author William Nikolakis, associate professor at the University of British Columbia faculty of forestry and environmental stewardship. “The evidence is clear that Indigenous Peoples’ lands do deliver conservation outcomes that are superior to, or at least equal to, state-run protected areas,” he told The Tyee. This is despite Indigenous lands largely not being protected by or formally recognized by their country, and Indigenous Peoples around the world largely not being paid for their stewardship by the state, Nikolakis said. In Canada, the federal government helps fund Indigenous Guardians who steward their traditional lands. Indigenous stewardship has a “value to humankind globally,” he said, and there’s an opportunity to boost it even further.

…forests absorb roughly 7.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide every year—double what they emit. That number hides some worrying trends. In Canada, logging and wildfires flipped Canadian forests from a net carbon reservoir to a net source about 25 years ago, according to the federal government. British Columbia responded by launching one of the world’s first large-scale projects designed to generate revenue for local communities by not logging old-growth forests. The model, which began in the Great Bear Rainforest in 2009 … created market value by putting a price on carbon locked in and absorbed by trees. …Cheakamus Community Forest forest raised $600,000 in forest carbon offsets in a single sale to a mining company… But while Cheakamus celebrates rising demand and higher prices, Gary Bull, a professor emeritus of forestry at the University of British Columbia, said B.C.’s decision to regulate the carbon market has made it nearly impossible for others to take part.

Sooke residents are being urged to prepare for an elevated wildfire season as dry conditions, low snowpack and an early campfire ban raise concerns across Vancouver Island. A campfire ban was implemented May 7 across the Coastal Fire Centre region, prohibiting all open burning and campfires until Oct. 31 or conditions improve. Officials say human-caused fires remain the leading cause of wildfires in British Columbia. At the same time, forestry company Mosaic Forest Management says it is expanding wildfire detection and mitigation efforts across its Vancouver Island land base, including areas around Sooke. According to the company, Vancouver Island entered the 2026 wildfire season under “precarious conditions,” with snowpack levels at 44 per cent of normal and forecasts calling for warmer and drier weather through June. Mosaic also noted that there is a 62 per cent chance of a strong El Niño developing later this summer, increasing the likelihood of prolonged heat and drought.

Manitoba — Spring brings a sombre and painful reminder for Lac du Bonnet resident Riva Karklin. “Remember when it was a normal spring? When we were getting our seedlings and our tomato plants planted and taking them over to the neighbours’ house ?” she said. “This is what we were doing last year when it all happened.” …Firefighters were called to put out flames burning through the grass only kilometres east of her house at around 9:30 a.m. Crews arrived, and the blaze had already engulfed dozens of pine trees in dry ground. Winds were gusting to 70 km/h, fanning what became a raging wildfire that burned through at least 40 square kilometres and forced around 1,100 residents out of their homes, the municipality said. …Fire Chief Earl Simmons said the majority of the fire spread that first day. Crews spent a week keeping the flames from spreading and putting out hot spots. 

Think about a small chip in your car’s windshield. At first, it might seem minor and barely noticeable. But later conditions change, the temperature drops and you hit a bump in the road and that tiny chip suddenly spreads into a large crack. Lightning can work in a similar way. A strike may leave behind heat deep in tree roots, stumps or underground organic material without immediately creating visible flames or smoke, especially if the storm also brought rain. Then, days or weeks later, as conditions become hotter, drier and windier, that hidden heat can begin to spread and ignite nearby fuels, eventually becoming a visible wildfire. Areas with a higher Duff Moisture Code are more likely to sustain these holdover fires. So, how do we know where to watch? We use Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN), for an instantaneous and constant feed of lightning data…

Two cutblocks proposed for Revelstoke’s Mount MacPherson are prompting Wildsight Revelstoke to engage B.C.’s lumber licensee about minimizing logging in that forest. Following a commenting period last year, BC Timber Sales (BCTS) is putting the two cutblocks, No. 52065 and No. 52066, up for sale… Combined, they cover 19.4 hectares of old- and second-growth forest. BCTS is currently welcoming applications for timber sales licences to harvest forest in these lots, as well as applications for road permits… Wildsight Revelstoke will meet a local BCTS representative this month to discuss the two proposed cutblocks, part of a larger conversation about several logging operations pitched by industry for north of town. …Ahead of its meeting with BCTS, Wildsight has been visiting Cutblocks 52065 and 52066 to appraise the towering cedar-hemlock trees and moisture-rich riparian habitats there. Black Press Media visited one of them with Wildsight Revelstoke board members Arnoul Mateo and Fabien Stocco.