From day one as B.C.鈥檚 Minister of Forests, I have been blown away by the work of the BC Wildfire Service. I have never met a more dedicated, hard-working group of people, and I am grateful everyday that we have such a world-class wildfire service protecting this province. I got my first briefing shortly after becoming Minister of Forests, but it wasn鈥檛 until a call came in from California, requesting our help, that I truly grasped the strength and scale of this organization.
Wildland firefighters put it all on the line during the wildfire season, but they can鈥檛 do it alone. The majority of wildfires right now are caused by human activity; it鈥檚 so important we all do our part by being prepared and vigilant this wildfire season.
Whether you live in Fort Nelson, Sicamous, Kelowna, Maple Ridge or Langford, we all have a role to play. One of the most impactful ways to build wildfire resilient communities is by participating in FireSmart activities like clearing the debris from your yard, trimming trees and shrubs, storing firewood away from buildings, and making sure your property is accessible to emergency crews. But don鈥檛 stop there. When you鈥檙e using fire on your property, make sure you鈥檙e doing it safely. Put out your campfire when you leave your site and follow all open fire prohibitions. These simple actions save lives.
The 2025 wildfire season officially began on April 1. We are coming off two of the worst wildfire seasons in our province鈥檚 history and in just the last few weeks, wildfires have already sparked across the province. The BC Wildfire Service has stepped up again, responding quickly to protect people and property. But they鈥檙e also doing something just as important 鈥� wildfire prevention.
A few weeks ago, I was in Kimberley, where I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with BC Wildfire Service staff, the local fire department, and contractors as they conducted a prescribed burn 鈥� a proactive and controlled fire that clears debris from the forest floor and helps prevent larger, more destructive fires from spreading. I was learning from the best and owe a special thanks to wildland firefighter Keal, for showing me the ropes and giving me a glimpse into just how demanding this work really is.
After watching our people in action, one thing became clear: it鈥檚 time for all of us to step up.
So, let鈥檚 get ready. Let鈥檚 protect what matters. Let鈥檚 honour the work of our wildland firefighters by doing our part.
British Columbia, it鈥檚 time for us to step up. We鈥檙e in this together.
Learn More:
To report a wildfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll free or *5555 on a cellphone or download the BC Wildfire Service app.
For BC Wildfire Service information and updates, visit:
For more information on how to FireSmart your home, visit:
To learn more about open burning safety, visit:
