Federal assistance, including military resources, is being deployed to support British Columbia in its battle against numerous wildfires, as announced by Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair on Friday. In a tweet, Blair confirmed his approval of a request for federal aid to assist firefighters and emergency management personnel who have been working tirelessly in B.C. This assistance will be provided by various federal departments and the Canadian Armed Forces.
B.C.’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, Bowinn Ma, made the request for assistance, which Blair had anticipated to be substantial. The federal help may involve military assistance for evacuations from remote areas and trained troops capable of firefighting to prevent the reignition of blazes.
The BC Wildfire Service, in a statement on Friday, expressed its gratitude for the mobilized assistance, noting that it has a long history of collaborating with the federal government during challenging wildfire seasons. The service reported over 360 active fires in the province, with 17 of them posing a threat or potential damage.
Blair’s announcement coincided with the Central Coast Regional District issuing an evacuation order covering a 20-kilometer section along the Dean River Valley, situated approximately 50 kilometers north of Bella Coola. The district initially issued an alert on Wednesday, subsequently upgrading it to an order on Friday. This evacuation order affects the area extending 36 kilometers along the Dean River Valley from Kimsquit Bay, including two commercial lodges. The BC Wildfire Service revealed that the Dean River fire, caused by lightning, spans an area of about three square kilometers.
In the past week, there have been at least 12 other evacuation orders or alerts issued across the province.