Region Archives: Canada

The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) are calling for the protection of an at-risk forest on Vancouver Island known as the “Jewel of the Tahsish.” According to the old growth advocates, this stand is nationally significant and one of the largest remaining unprotected old-growth karst forests in BC. Karst forests are located in areas where trees grow atop limestone,and are among the rarest, most productive and sensitive old-growth ecosystems in Canada.  The karst forest the AFA are referring to with this call to action is around 235 hectares in size and is located in the upper watershed of the Tahsish River near Cross Lake on northwestern Vancouver Island, within the territories of the Kyuquot/Checleseht and Quatsino First Nations.

Robert Gray

As a fast-growing fire near Pemberton forced an evacuation order and alerts Thursday, a veteran fire ecologist questioned whether the region’s forest-edge communities are as ready as officials say. …Robert Gray, a Chilliwack-based fire ecologist with four decades in the field, said that preparation often falls short because it’s done at too small a scale. Municipalities point to FireSmart programs — assessments that urge homeowners to clear brush, screen vents and strip flammable material from around a house to create “defensible space” — and to fuel treatments, the thinning of dense stands of trees and removal of dead wood that can carry a fire. Gray said both work only when carried out across whole neighbourhoods and the land around them. “You can do everything that’s required and you can still lose your home,” he said, if neighbouring properties and the forest beyond go untreated.

Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) is proud to announce that Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) is the inaugural recipient of the Indigenous Small Business of the Year Award, in recognition of its work creating economic opportunities through Indigenous-led forestry, wildfire rehabilitation and environmental stewardship. CCR is an Indigenous-owned forestry organization representing the communities of Tŝideldel, Tl’etinqox, and Yunesit’in in the Chilcotin region of British Columbia. Established to restore and protect traditional territories while creating sustainable prosperity for Nations, CCR has become a recognized leader in Indigenous-led forestry and land stewardship. “Today, we are demonstrating that Indigenous-led forestry can create jobs, restore forests, help reduce wildfire risk, support economic independence and deliver lasting benefits for communities,” said Percy Guichon, CEO of CCR. “This award reinforces the importance of Indigenous leadership and collaboration in shaping the future of forestry in British Columbia and across Canada.”

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo is celebrating the birth of a baby caribou… The male calf was born on June 25, 2026, to mother Mira. He weighed 9.4 kilograms at birth and has since grown to 12.8 kilograms. Mom and baby are currently receiving care behind the scenes while the Zoo’s Animal Care Specialists closely monitor their progress and support this important early bonding period. …“Our Animal Care Specialists are providing Mira and her calf with the time, space and support they need during these important early days,” said Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager, Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo. “It is especially meaningful to name this calf Lyall Petrie in honour of Dr. Petrie, whose guidance, generosity and dedication left a lasting mark on so many in the veterinary community.” …The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo is proud to support the Caribou Conservation Alliance. 

Riley Browne ©WCH

West Coast Helicopters general manager Sean Smyth was in his hangar at the company’s ­headquarters in Port McNeill on Tuesday ­morning, about to make his morning coffee, when his cellphone rang. On the other end of the line was West Coast Helicopters’ dispatch. One of the company’s helicopters had crashed in rugged terrain in the remote Loughborough Inlet area, between Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet, which is steep and heavily forested. It was 6:20 a.m. and the crash had taken place just minutes earlier, at about 6:13 a.m. Three men were onboard the Hughes 500 helicopter when it went down: a pilot from West Coast Helicopters named Riley Browne and two forestry engineers from Campbell River-based Crowhurst Forest Management Group. Smyth was told that two of the people involved in the crash were unresponsive. The survivor had radioed the information to the logging camp where the men were based, who then called dispatch.

Also covered in Chek News by Liz Brown: ‘It’s gutting’: North Island community mourns the loss of one of their own following Tuesday’s helicopter crash

Teamwork was key for bolstering an Indigenous forestry operation in central B.C., stakeholders stated at a business conference in Nanaimo. Lake Babine Nation was front and centre at the Seeing the Forest and the Trees panel discussion June 4 at the Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference in Nanaimo, with Duane Crouse, Lake Babine Nation Forestry operations manager; Jeff Mycock, vice-president of Canadian Woodlands for West Fraser Timber Co.; Mike Beck, operations manager of Capacity Forest Management and Mike Hykaway, B.C. Ministry of Forests’ assistant deputy minister of regional operations for the north area, providing insight. A collaborative effort between Lake Babine, West Fraser and the B.C. government, was announced in July 2025, which saw the First Nation’s woodland licence grow by over 120,400 hectares, to 126,000 ha, after a transfer from West Fraser with the harvestable land northeast of Smithers, B.C., according to a B.C. government press release.

BCWildfireService

PRINCE GEORGE – Although Northern British Columbia has avoided the widespread wildfire activity seen in recent years, provincial officials are warning that the next several days could mark a turning point as lightning, wind and dry conditions increase the risk of new fire starts across the province. The warning comes as crews continue battling the Brunswick Wildfire Complex near Boston Bar, where evacuation orders and alerts remain in effect and hundreds of residents have been forced from their homes. Speaking during a provincial wildfire and drought update, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Kelly Greene said the fires near Boston Bar continue to have significant impacts on local residents. …As of the latest update, there were 23 active wildfires burning across British Columbia. Five new fires had been discovered in the previous 24 hours while eight others had been declared out.

Related coverage:

• CBC News by Ashley Joannou: Forecast heat, lightning and ongoing drought raise risk of ‘significant wildfire event’ in B.C.
• CBC News by John Mazerolle: Sizzling temperatures and threat of storms blanket much of the country in weather warnings

Randene Neill

Government is urging people in B.C. to conserve water over the coming weeks as forecasts suggest much of the province will experience elevated drought conditions that may increase water-scarcity risks. “Protecting B.C.’s water resources is a shared responsibility, and the actions we take today will help communities, farmers and businesses manage increasing drought pressures,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “We are working closely with First Nations, local governments, industry and the agricultural sector to support water conservation and long-term water security.” …People are encouraged to reduce water use wherever possible to help protect local watersheds and reduce the risk of water scarcity. Voluntary reductions in water use, along with favourable weather and rainfall, can play a critical role in maintaining stream flows and reducing pressure on watersheds and aquatic ecosystems.

Old-growth forests are home to a range of trees including older—but not always bigger—trees. Characteristics of old-growth forests vary according to their location, structure and ecosystem characteristics. What counts as old growth depends on where the forest is located. In the coastal and interior wet belt regions of British Columbia (B.C.), trees are considered old growth if they are more than 250 years old. The threshold for interior forests is 140 years, due to harsher, dry conditions. Hear directly from B.C.’s Chief Forester, Shane Berg, as he explains how forests in British Columbia are managed and what that means for wood sourcing. This video provides a clear overview of forest governance, sustainable harvesting practices and the role of science-based decision-making—helping project teams better understand the systems behind responsibly sourced B.C. wood.

We’ve captured the 2026 BC First Nations Forestry Conference highlights, key takeaways, and memorable moments in our 2026 Proceedings Report, we invite you to explore and revisit the conversations that made this year’s event so impactful. The 2026 BC First Nations Forestry Conference was hosted on the traditional, unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Nation in Kelowna, BC. This year’s conference was guided by the theme Forest Nations Rising: From Strong Roots to Global Horizons, bringing together First Nations, industry, government, sponsors, and partners to shape the future of forestry in British Columbia. This year’s event reflected both the growing strength of First Nations leadership and the deepening relationships transforming how forests are stewarded, managed, and shared. The continued support of industry leaders, program partners, sponsors, and educational institutions, alongside the dedication of Nations and government, made this gathering possible and underscored a shared commitment to advancing the sector together.

Approximately 45,000 hectares of Crown land in northeastern British Columbia has been protected for the next 10 years to help safeguard ecologically and culturally significant land within Treaty 8 territory. The interim measure is intended to safeguard the area’s ecological and cultural values while long-term land-use planning and protection discussions continue. On Friday, July 10, 2026, the B.C. government established the K’ih t̲s̲aaʔd̲z̲e Protection Area under the Environment and Land Use Act (ELUA), supported by a Forest Act (Part 13) designated area. The protection area will help conserve caribou habitat and boreal ecosystems and encourage ecological restoration while supporting ongoing collaborative land-use planning with Doig River First Nation. The ELUA designation will protect the area from new land and resource dispositions and industrial activity while allowing existing lawful activities to continue, provided no new disturbance of the land surface occurs. Forestry activities will be restricted in the same area for four years.

Residents in Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and surrounding areas are invited to share their input about the development of the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan, to guide forest-management decisions in the area. The plan focuses on improving forest management for the 1.2-million-hectare Cranbrook Timber Supply Area. “Everyone deserves a say in how our forests are managed, and when we’re all at the table, we can deliver forest landscape plans with clarity and predictability for our workforce and for our environment,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Forests are the foundation of creating opportunity at home and abroad. Over the last few months, we’ve made real progress on forest landscape plans throughout B.C. We need your feedback to ensure we get the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan right.” People can share their thoughts through a survey that will run from Monday, July 13 to Sept. 25, 2026. 

A resident of Nanaimo’s Rock City neighbourhood in north Nanaimo is speaking out against a development project she says threatens a unique wetland that is a “crown jewel” of the city. Tamara Brown has lived in the area for about six years and says she has extensively studied both the wetland and the proposed four-storey, 102-unit rental development, which would also have two storeys of parking. The heavily forested, sloped 1.52-hectare property at 3400 Barrington Rd. was rezoned for medium-density residential use four years ago. The current project was approved by the city in early January, although work has not yet begun. Critics are concerned that the removal of trees, bedrock blasting and excavation expected during construction would disturb the water flows of a rare ecosystem. …At a council meeting this week in Nanaimo, Brown raised other concerns, including the potential impact on the Garry oak ecosystem and breeding habitat for birds and amphibians.

Parksville council has endorsed a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan — the first step towards integrating its recommendations into city plans and policies. Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans include wildfire threat mapping and follow the BC FireSmart framework and provincial wildfire risk reduction objectives, according to a report by Fire Chief Marc Norris, of Parksville Fire Rescue. The city hired Frontera Forest Solutions to develop the plan, using FireSmart grant funding. The plan found Parksville “is at an overall low risk of devastating wildfire igniting within the city, however pockets of medium and high-risk locations do exist within the city’s wildland urban interface.” The biggest risk was wildfires burning in “high-risk areas” could carry smoke or embers into Parksville. Vulnerabilities identified were seasonal increases in fire-related activity linked to human behaviour, including deliberate ignitions and an increased risk near people and infrastructure, potentially in areas in which ignitions are harder to access or detect.

Most campfires will be banned across coastal British Columbia beginning later this week as the BC Wildfire Service expands fire restrictions in response to changing weather conditions. Effective at 12 p.m. July 16, Category 1, 2 and 3 open fires will be prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre. However, Category 1 campfires will still be allowed in the Campbell River Forest District, North Island Central Coast Forest District, Haida Gwaii Forest District and Sunshine Coast Forest District …The BC Wildfire Service says the expanded prohibition is intended to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires and protect public safety as fire danger increases in many coastal regions. The restrictions apply to all areas outside municipal boundaries within the Coastal Fire Centre, as well as provincial parks, recreation sites, ecological reserves, wildlife management areas and private managed forest lands. Municipalities may have their own fire restrictions, and residents are encouraged to check with their local government before lighting any fire.

City of Powell River Council has directed staff to write correspondence to the ministry of forests, objecting to correspondence from the ministry regarding Powell River Community Forest’s new forest licence. …Acting mayor Cindy Elliot said the new BCTS plan came out with additional areas for planned forestry that overlapped the community forest’s new timber licence. …The response essentially says that they are not required to do what we asked and they would rather wait until the minister makes a decision before they change what they are doing.” …Councillor Rob Southcott said the community forest indirectly compensates for the loss of a lot of revenue from a major taxpayer due to the permanent curtailment of the paper mill. …“We don’t want BC Timber Sales coming in and starting to log in the area that we believe should be included in the community forest,” said Powell River Community Forest president Greg Hemphill

People are invited to share their input and help guide the development of recommendations and long-term solutions for water supply and ecosystem health in the Goat River watershed. The Province of British Columbia, in partnership with yaqan nuʔkiy (Lower Kootenay Band) and the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), has launched a tripartite working group to address growing water-scarcity challenges in the Goat River watershed and develop recommendations for long-term water management in the Creston Valley. As part of the process, a survey will gather insights from community members, water users, farmers, industry and other interested parties about their vision for the Goat River watershed. The survey is available until Aug. 1, 2026. …The Goat River Watershed Collective Conversations Working Group brings together representatives from the Province, yaqan nuʔkiy and the RDCK. It will serve as a recommendation-making body, developing joint recommendations for consideration by yaqan nuʔkiy leadership, the RDCK board of directors and provincial ministries.