City of Vancouver plans to cut down nearly one-third of the trees in Stanley Park in response to wildfire concerns and a looper moth infestation are facing intense pushback from local residents and experts. “There’s just no basis in logic or science for the premise upon which this entire operation is founded, which is that there’s some kind of imminent fire danger,” said Michael Caditz of the non-profit Stanley Park Preservation Society… Brennan Bastyovanszky, the park board chair, acknowledged the need for more transparency but felt the decision the board reached was the right one. “We felt that the decisions were the right ones and we wanted the people here to understand that we want to replant, that we want to make it a more robust forest, and that there is a serious risk of forest fire with all those dead trees,” Bastyovanszky said.

Additional coverage in CBC – Video interview with Vancouver Park Board’s manager of Urban Forestry

Jen Baron

Canada went through its most destructive wildfire season in 2023. Wildfire services rely on data, forestry photography and mapping as a way to proactively control forest fires. However, a recent study in B.C. has found that the data being used is inaccurate and insufficient. Jen Baron, lead author of the study and PhD candidate at UBC’s Department of Conservation and Forestry, explains the inaccuracies in the data, the problems it creates and the ways it could be improved.

VANCOUVER — Habitat disturbance is a major driver of the decline of woodland caribou in Canada. Different disturbance agents and regimes negatively impact caribou populations to different degrees. …In this work we use recent advances in satellite-based disturbance detection to quantify polygonal forest disturbance regimes affecting caribou ecotypes and herds in British Columbia from 1985 to 2019. Additionally, we utilize this data to investigate harvesting rates since the implementation of the Species at Risk Act and publication of recovery strategies for caribou in BC. Southern Mountain caribou herds are the most threatened yet experienced the highest rates of disturbance, with 22.75% of forested habitat within their ranges disturbed during the study period. Over the study period, we found that in total, 16.4% of forested area was disturbed across all caribou herd ranges. Our findings indicate that caribou in BC face high, and in many cases increasing, levels of habitat disturbance. 

Lantzville, British Columbia is preparing to establish havens for future old-growth forests, where West Coast trees can thrive for hundreds of years. The district plans to set up two areas within its Foothills parkland, donated by developer Lone Tree Properties, under a new “future old growth” (FOG) zone that would be permanently ­protected. Council members have voted unanimously in favour of the first two readings of the new bylaw, and a public hearing is set for April 10. …Planned new FOG zones are in environmentally ­sensitive habitat and were already ­earmarked by the district’s ­official community plan for preservation. The initial two FOG areas will total 10 to 12 acres, said Coun. Ian Savage, who believes the new zone is the first of its kind in the province. …Savage said he came up with the idea a few years ago while looking for solutions to combat the loss of old growth on B.C.’s coast. 

The Province is taking several early steps to prepare for the wildfire and drought season, including working proactively with local governments and First Nations to help keep people and communities safe and informed. …Stemming from the ongoing work of the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies, the Province has enhanced wildfire preparedness and support for evacuees across B.C. This work includes incorporating advanced wildfire predictive technologies, expanding the number of firefighting tools available to BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews and streamlining training for Emergency Support Services (ESS) responders. …Current forecasts indicate that British Columbia may experience an active spring-wildfire season due to persistent drought conditions. …“Many communities experienced severe drought conditions last summer. The potential for drought conditions this year is very real and we are taking steps to help people prepare,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

Government and wildfire officials in British Columbia are warning that the province could see an early and active spring wildfire season due to persistent drought conditions that have left soil parched and snowpack levels low. …Officials say early outlooks indicate a “high probability” of above normal temperatures across B.C. in the coming months, but added that drought and wildfire conditions this year will depend on the actual weather in the spring and summer. The chance that the province will see enough spring “rainfall to alleviate drought conditions is unlikely but possible,” according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS). …On Monday, the province announced BCWS will be launching predictive software to model fire risks using existing maps and weather models with observations from staff in the field. The technology was already piloted in the Coastal and Kamloops fire centres last year, and will roll out provincewide by the end of 2024.

Additional coverage by Ashley Joannou (Canadian Press) in the Victoria Times Colonist: Active spring wildfire season may be in store for B.C. as drought persists

The BC Wildfire Service is expanding the use of wildfire predictive technologies. “By adding more technology to the BC Wildfire Service’s tool kit, our talented firefighters will be able to make critical decisions faster when it matters most,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. In advance of the 2024 wildfire season, B.C. is introducing technology that can produce real-time wildfire behaviour predictions and incorporate information directly from the field. This is aligned with feedback from the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies and follows last year’s successful trial of the software. The wildfire predictive technology will first be introduced in the Coastal and Kamloops Fire Centres, where it has already been trialled to ensure compatibility with forest and fuel conditions. Collaborative efforts with jurisdictions using similar technologies, including California and Australia, have allowed the BC Wildfire Service to quickly operationalize and expand the use of these tools. 

West Fraser and the Woodland Cree First Nation recently signed a Good Relations Agreement to mark a new era of partnership, mutual respect, and exploration of economic opportunities. The agreement solidifies a commitment to build a positive, sustainable, and mutually beneficial relationship based on respect, trust, and recognition of each other’s roles, rights, and responsibilities. “The signing of this Good Relations Agreement is a testament to our shared commitment to building a future of collaboration. By working hand in hand, we aim to work on economic opportunities, foster environmental stewardship and contribute to the well-being of Woodland Cree First Nation” stated Jed Begin, General Manager, Slave Lake Veneer. “On behalf of myself and Council, we are proud of this precedent-setting agreement. It is rooted in the principles of meaningful collaboration, accommodation and co-management,” said Chief Isaac Laboucan-Avirom, Woodland Cree First Nation.