VICTORIA, B.C. — An investigation into British Columbia’s Wildfire Act has found the policy is well-defined but in need of certain amendments.
The investigation, done by the Forest Practices Board, recommended four specific updates for the act:
- Improvements to the process that determines compensation for mature and immature timber on public land damaged by a wildfire.
- Enable decision-makers to order people to pay some, none or all fire-control costs and value damage to public resources when more than one person is at fault.
- Expand the availability of statutory defenses to people who did not contravene the Wildfire Act but are still found liable to causing or contributing to a wildfire.
- Exempt forest licensees from having to pay government’s fire-control costs when fire-hazard abatement activities accidentally lead to a wildfire.
“The board is concerned that forest licensees may be discouraged from reducing the fuel hazards left behind after harvesting if they are liable for the costs,” writes the board in the release regarding the final recommendation.
A Dec. 5 ruling from B.C.’s Supreme Court found such companies are liable for costs when fire abatement practices such as debris burning go awry, reads the release.
In the past 10 years, B.C. has spent roughly $2.7 billion on wildfire suppression. Approximately half of all wildfires in the province and caused by people, states the release.
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