The BC government is providing Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) with a $620,000 grant to improve and expand the use of registered forest professionals in managing BC’s forests for wildfire.
“The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires has shown that we need to be more proactive in managing our forests and the forested lands near our communities to make them more resilient to wildfire and enhance public safety,” said Christine Gelowitz, RPF, Forest Professionals BC chief executive office.
“Working in partnership with BC Wildfire Service, we will set robust practice standards in wildfire prevention, planning, and recovery, allowing forest professionals to better manage forests for wildfire and help reduce the risk to the public and the environment.”
The funding will support the Wildland Fire Joint Panel Initiative, which includes Forest Professionals BC and the BC Wildfire Service. The joint panel will develop standards of practice for a wildland fire expertise, as well as a baseline assessment, fire curriculum, career pathways, and a community of practice. New career pathways will include designing those for Indigenous community members.
The panel initiative further aims to define professional forestry practice areas directly related to wildfire, and to develop products to communicate standards to FPBC registrants through guidance documents and guidelines, workshops, e-courses, webinars, and other professional development offerings.
As part of the project, FPBC will also create and make available to the public a database of existing wildland fire and fuel courses and curriculum in BC.
Garnet Mierau, RPF, Forest Professionals BC director of practice, says the initiative will lead to increased forest resilience by reducing wildfire risk and incorporating climate adaptation into forest management goals.
“That will reduce the impacts on timber harvesting activities, infrastructure, and communities supported by natural resource activities,” adds Mierau.
“We’re developing a long-term plan with a focus on forest resilience and management, including connections to forest landscape planning.”
While FPBC protects the public interest through the regulation of forest professionals under the Professional Governance Act (PGA) — ensuring the ongoing competence and professional accountability of its registrants — the Ministry of Forests is responsible for managing, protecting, and conserving the forest and range resources of the government.
The ministry administers the Forest Range Practices Act (FRPA), which relies on the services of forest professionals for its implementation and accountability framework, and is responsible for the Wildfire Act.
BCWS develops the policy framework and executes activities for the province to manage wildfire through a combination of prevention, mitigation, and suppression strategies.