2024 fire season/Cultural and Prescribed fires

What are holdover fires, and how did they impact the 2024 season?

• Fires from the previous season that burn underground and persist overwinter.

• Around 80 holdover fires remained active in northeastern B.C. in spring 2024.

• Only 12 areas saw growth beyond existing perimeters due to proactive monitoring.

How is BC Wildfire Service strengthening local involvement in wildfire response?

• Partnered with local community members trained in basic wildfire suppression.

• Empowered communities to support fire departments and agencies during a wildfire.

How did BC Wildfire Service improve its recruitment process for rural and remote communities in 2024?

• Expanded First Nations bootcamps.

• Extended the hiring period for new recruits.

• Encouraged applicants to indicate their preferred work locations.

What is the Collaborative Partnership Guide, and why was it developed?

• A guide outlining roles and responsibilities of different wildfire response groups.

• Developed to assist all wildfire emergency response partners before the 2024 season.

Describe a training initiative BCWS took on in 2024

• Participated in the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies to improve emergency management

• The task force recommended enhancing resources, partnerships, and technologies in wildfire and emergency management.

• A first-of-its-kind wildfire training and education centre in North America was launched with Thompson Rivers University (TRU)

• Offers training from basic field skills to academic diploma and degree programs in wildfire and emergency management.

• Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit was held in Prince George in spring 2024 to strengthen wildfire resiliency and training.

• Included over 760 participants from 80+ departments and agencies.

• 66% increase in First Nations attendees and 63% increase in First Nation communities represented.

Describe a technological advancements BC Wildfire Service adopted in 2024.

• Predictive software enhancing wildfire forecasts using weather models, topography, and real-time field data.

• Collaborated with jurisdictions like California and Australia to improve its effectiveness.

• Integrated Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS)

• Used NVIS on rotary-wing aircraft for reconnaissance missions at night.

• Trained and rostered NVIS observers to assist certified pilots.

• At least a dozen contracted air carriers had NVIS capabilities.

How much funding was allocated to wildfire prevention in the 2024 provincial budget?

• $40 million for the BC Wildfire Service Prevention Program.

• $30 million for the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports Program (FCFS).

$60 million for the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), with $20 million allocated annually for three years.

What is the Crown Land Wildfire Risk Reduction (CLWRR) program?

• A program focused on building wildfire-resilient landscapes.

• Invested approximately $80 million since 2019.

• Treated 11,246 hectares of land.

• $22.4 million invested in CLWRR activities in 2024, with 3,906 hectares treated.

How many cultural and prescribed fire projects were planned and completed in 2024?

• Amendments to the Wildfire Act and Regulation to remove barriers to cultural and prescribed burning.

• Created new partnership opportunities between BC Wildfire Service and First Nations.

What were the key weather conditions influencing the 2024 wildfire season?

• Persistent drought conditions from September 2023 to September 2024.

• Rainfall was only 40–60% of normal in many areas.

Lightning strikes were 75% of the 20-year average, but caused over 70% of wildfires due to dry fuels.

How many wildfires and hectares burned during the 2024 season?

• 1,680+ wildfires.

1.08 million hectares burned.

How many personnel did BC Wildfire Service employ in 2024?

• 500 permanent and 300 seasonal staff.

• 1,300 wildland firefighters employed directly.

• 600 contracted wildland firefighters.

What was the role of international wildfire response efforts in 2024?

• Nearly 600 resources requested through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Support from Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

How many air and ground resources were deployed in 2024?

• 33 airtanker and birddog aircraft, completing 457 missions.

• 154 helicopters hired on peak days.

31,000+ flight hours recorded.

What recovery efforts were made after the 2024 wildfire season?

• 210 km of fire guard rehabilitated (out of 2,061 km built).

28 ecological wildfire recovery projects underway.

What were the key statistics for the 2024 wildfire season?

• 70% of wildfires caused by lightning, 30% by human activity.

• 51 evacuation orders, affecting 4,100+ properties.

• 112 evacuation alerts, affecting 12,500+ properties.

• 18,000+ calls to the Provincial Wildfire Reporting Centre, including 12,421 wildfire reports.

• Estimated wildfire suppression cost: $621 million.

What are some ongoing research and innovation projects at BC Wildfire Service?

• Cardiorespiratory health research on wildfire smoke impacts on firefighters.

• Advancements in automated wildfire risk and fire growth modeling software.

• Investments in satellite data acquisition for heat detection and fuel mapping.

• AI-equipped real-time video feeds for wildfire detection and monitoring.

What is the outlook for the 2025 wildfire season?

• Potential for holdover fires in northeastern B.C. due to persistent drought.

• BC Wildfire Service will continue monitoring drought conditions through fall and winter.

What is the term “cultural and prescribed fire” intended to acknowledge?

• Acknowledges Indigenous cultural burning as distinct from prescribed burning.

• Recognizes the intersection of Indigenous and Western fire management practices.

Why is fire important in B.C.’s ecosystems?

• Fire is a natural, necessary process for maintaining healthy forests.

• Helps sustain biodiversity and supports plant and animal life.

What has been the impact of aggressive wildfire suppression in B.C.?

• Significant build-up of forest fuels.

• Greater tree encroachment on grasslands.

• ‘In-filling’ of open, dry forests.

• Increased risk of devastating wildfires.

• Negative effects on biodiversity and forest health.

Describe Indigenous cultural burning and how the Province supports it.

• A traditional practice used by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial.

• Knowledge is passed down through generations.

• Involves the intentional use of fire on the land.

• Led by First Nations or based on their cultural values, perspectives, and practices.

• The Province does not undertake cultural burning itself.

• Aims to address barriers to cultural burning.

• Committed to co-developing policy and programs with Indigenous peoples.

• Aligns with the UN Declaration and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Describe prescribed fire and its benefits

• The planned and intentional use of fire on a specific land area.

• Used to achieve ecological and land management objectives.

• Enhances wildlife habitat.

• Prepares land for tree planting.

• Helps control or eradicate diseases in forests.

• Reduces the risk of high-intensity wildfires.

• Supports air quality and climate action targets.

• Prevents large, intense wildfires by reducing fuel loads.

• Replaces catastrophic wildfires with frequent, low-intensity burns.

• Minimizes uncontrolled fire spread.

What factors are considered when planning a prescribed fire?

• Location and land characteristics.

• Timing to ensure ecological benefits and minimize risks.

• Potential smoke impacts.

• Fire behavior predictions.

• Weather conditions.

• Safety measures to prevent escape.

Describe similarities and differences between cultural burning and prescribed fire

• Cultural burning:

  • Rooted in Indigenous traditions and knowledge.

  • Often applied at a broad landscape level.

  • Used for ecological, spiritual, and cultural purposes.

• Prescribed fire:

  • Planned and executed using scientific and regulatory frameworks.

  • Used for habitat enhancement, wildfire prevention, and land management.

  • Managed by government agencies and landowners.

• Both involve the intentional use of fire to manage landscapes.

• Both aim to reduce wildfire risk and support ecological health.

• Increasing collaboration between Indigenous and Western fire management approaches.

What commitments has the Province made regarding cultural and prescribed fire?

• Co-developing policy and program frameworks with Indigenous peoples.

• Ensuring alignment with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

• Supporting long-term, sustainable, and co-managed fire management.

What is FireSmart?

FireSmart is a national program that helps Canadians increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire and minimize its negative impacts.

Describe BC’s fire centers and zones.

The province is divided into six regional fire centres: 

Cariboo 

Coastal 

Kamloops

Northwest 

Prince George 

Southeast

These are further divided into local fire zones. Each fire centre is responsible for wildfire management within its boundaries. The Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre and Headquarters oversee and coordinate all province-wide functions of the BC Wildfire Service.