B.C. Premier announces $10 million top-up to Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative, tasks forestry ministry with looking at ways to reduce fire risk

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark announced on Friday a top-up of $10 million to the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative and tasked the provincial Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to look at other ways to reduce wildfire risk through on-the-ground operations.

The top-up brings the total amount provided to the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative since 2004 to $78 million, the ministry noted in a statement. The program is intended to help local governments and First Nations significantly reduce wildfire risks around their communities, especially in interface areas where urban developments border on forests and grasslands.

During the 2015 wildfire season, the forestry ministry estimated that more than 297,000 hectares were burnt.

As well, as of Sept. 1, 286 community wildfire protection plans have been completed and more than 78,245 hectares of land in and around high-risk communities have been treated, according to the forestry ministry.

In addition to the $10 million top-up, the statement noted that the ministry will be developing the Forest Enhancement Program, to undertake salvage harvesting of dead timber, wildfire risk reduction and fuel management operations, and to enhance reforestation efforts and wildlife habitat restoration in stands severely impacted by wildfires and mountain pine beetle in the Interior. The mountain pine beetle infestation has affected over 18.6 million hectares of Interior forests.

The program will be operational in 2016-17.