Wildfires are destroying forests, communities, and air quality across B.C. We can’t afford to wait. Use your voice to demand science-based forest management that reduces wildfire risk and protects what we love.
Take Action
Help Change the Way B.C. Manages Wildfire Risk
Email Your Elected Leaders
Make your voice heard in minutes. Use our pre-written letters or write your own.
Premier David Eby
Contact information for the Premier of British Columbia.
Download Letter for Premier
Protect Your Home & Community
Learn what you can do to make your property more resilient to wildfire.
BC & California Fire Reviews
📘 Filmon Report (2003)
An independent review of the 2003 wildfire season that laid the groundwork for BC’s future wildfire strategy.
📘 Abbott-Chapman Report (2018)
An independent review of BC’s 2017 flood and wildfire season, highlighting the increasing scale of climate-driven disasters.
📘 Premier’s Task Force (2024)
The most recent BC government report proposing updated approaches to emergency management and fire response.
📘 California Action Plan (2021)
Outlines California’s coordinated, multi-agency approach to wildfire risk reduction, including goals to treat 1 million acres/year.
Research Spotlight:
Professor Emeritus Gary Bull, UBC
Peer-Reviewed Carbon Strategy Research (2008)
Co-authored with Mike Greig, this study provides a strong basis linking fuel management to reduced wildfire emissions and explores how adjusting harvest regimes can produce carbon benefits.
UBC Forest Inventory Review (2018)
A technical review advocating for improved forest inventory, modeling, and planning systems, which are essential for proactive fuel management.
Foresight-Style Carbon & Harvesting Analysis
Collaborative work and models showing how fluctuating harvest levels and selective active management can generate carbon credits while reducing wildfire risk.
Provincial Data & Regulations
BC Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation (OBSCR)
The OBSCR (BC Reg 152/2019) governs open burning to reduce smoke pollution. However, forestry and rural landowners report that its strict requirements make carrying out safe, responsible pile burning nearly impossible.
Key restrictions include:
- Fuel limits: Piles over 10 cm must meet full regulatory standards.
- Burn bans: Prohibits burning materials like treated wood and plastic.
- Limited burn days: In high smoke sensitivity zones, burning is restricted to 12 days/year.
- Ventilation conditions: Only allowed on days with good smoke dispersion forecasts.
- Notice & record-keeping: Requires notifying neighbours and keeping detailed logs.
- Enforcement: Violations can result in fines up to $200,000 and full cost recovery.
Provincial Forest Health & Wildfire Data
Official government sources for historical data and annual reports.
BC Forest Health Annual Reports
BC Wildfire Service Season Summaries
Videos & Podcasts
FPAC – Capturing Carbon
BC Wildfire Service
Forest Enhancement Society of BC
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Inc
Council of Forest Industries (COFI)
Resource Works
Further Reading & News Headlines
Wildlife
- 3 billion animals harmed by Australia’s fires (World Wildlife Fund)
- We know the human costs of wildfires, but what about our ecosystems? (The Weather Network)
- ‘The unseen casualty’: How wildlife is impacted by Canada’s wildfires (Global News)
- B.C. wildfires’ impact on animals to be ‘horrific’ (Vancouver Sun)
- Wild horses burned to death in Chilcotin highlight horror of wildfires (Vancouver Sun)
Wildfire Events
- McDougall Creek wildfire that ravaged West Kelowna is no longer ‘held’ (CBC News)
- More than 130 properties lost to Bush Creek East wildfire in Columbia Shuswap (Salmon Arm Observer)
- Okanagan and Shuswap area wildfires cause over $720 million in insured damage (Insurance Bureau of Canada)
- 5 years later, the ‘unseen’ costs of the Elephant Hill wildfire are still piling up (Global News)
- Thousands of Williams Lake wildfire evacuees arrive in Kamloops (The Globe and Mail)
Carbon Emissions
Canada-Wide:
- Canada wildfires spew out record-breaking carbon emissions (The Guardian)
- Canada’s forest fires in 2023 were a major emitter of global CO2 (CTIF)
- Canada produced 23% of global wildfire carbon emissions in 2023 (Copernicus)
- Concern grows over carbon emissions from Canada’s forest fires (Global News)
- Canadian wildfires have now burned a forest area the size of Wisconsin (CBS News)
- This year’s wildfires have released a massive ‘carbon bomb’ (The Globe and Mail)
British Columbia:
Medical Impacts
- Study links wildfire smoke to increased ER visits for mental health (The Cool Down)
- Living with wildfire smoke is taking a toll on Canadians’ mental health (CBC News)
- Smoke from Canadian wildfires leads to surge in heart and lung problems (News-Medical.Net)
- Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke linked to higher risk of dementia (CBC News)
Mudslides
- Mudslide closes Westside Road in both directions (Global News)
- After the fires, mudslides come (UBC Okanagan News)
- Post-wildfire report warned Trans-Canada Highway at risk for landslide (CBC News)
- After the Fire: The Rise of Landslides (Youtube Video)