Scott Harcus

Wildfire risk is becoming a legal and governance challenge for B.C. businesses. Wildfire season is no longer a background risk for B.C. businesses. It is a recurring operational, financial and legal challenge that is moving quickly from the fire line to the courtroom. …The human and economic costs [of wildfire] are already well understood. …What is less widely appreciated is that wildfire risk is also becoming a liability risk. For businesses in forestry, transportation, utilities, energy, agriculture, construction, tourism and resource development, the question is no longer only whether they can withstand a wildfire. It is whether they can prove they took reasonable steps to prevent, prepare for and respond to one. …For B.C. businesses, the practical lesson is straightforward. Wildfire preparedness should not sit only with operations or safety teams. It belongs in the boardroom, with risk committees, on insurance reviews and in contract negotiations.