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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.

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

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. 

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.

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.

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

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.

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.