Pandemic adds risk to wildfire season: B.C.

The coronavirus pandemic has increased the danger of British Columbia’s wildfire season, and the province’s forests minister is seeking public help to reduce fires.

Wildfires caused by humans divert valuable resources away from naturally occurring fires while exposing firefighters to unnecessary risks, Doug Donaldson said Thursday.

Figures from B.C. Wildfire Service show people caused more than 54 per cent of the wildfires in the province last year.

“Mitigating wildfire risk is a shared responsibility,” Donaldson said, “and I’m calling on all British Columbians to help safeguard our communities, resources and infrastructure from harm.”

The wildfire service has developed plans to protect about 1,700 personnel and the people they may come in contact with from contracting or spreading COVID-19, Donaldson said.

Jody Lucius, communications superintendent for the service, said there are new sanitation protocols for staff travelling in shared vehicles, including aircraft, and professional-grade handwashing stations for fire camps.

The service is now using single-person tents, she said, and new supply kits will help crews camp in smaller groups where possible to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading through larger camps.

It’s also working on plans in case someone at a firefighting camp develops COVID-19 symptoms.

The wildfire service does not plant to implement COVID-19 testing for personnel who don’t have symptoms, said Donaldson, but deferred to B.C. public health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry for further guidelines.

Emergency Management B.C. is working to make sure emergency personnel and volunteers receive testing in line with health officials’ strategies, said Melia Walker, director of mass care and emergency support services.

The province has prohibited most open burning activities this year, including prescribed burns, to reduce the risk of human-caused fires and smoke that could affect air quality during the pandemic.

“That’s an unusual move that we’ve taken as a direct result of COVID-19, both because of the smoke impacts,” Lucius said, “as well as in order to ensure our crews are available to respond to other wildfires.”

The wildfire service has launched an interactive app for smartphone users that offers real-time information about wildfires.

Fire crews have responded to 139 wildfires as of April 1 this year, compared with a seasonal average of 172.

The intense fire seasons of 2017 and 2018 prompted an increase of $35 million to Donaldson’s $136-million wildfire budget.

The service’s fleet of air tankers, helicopters and skimmers that scoop up water from lakes has been expanded.

The funds also flow to community-based fire prevention and preparedness in municipalities and First Nations communities.