Image Credit: BC Wildfire Service

By Adam Berls

renewable resource management

Executive director of BCWF calls for more funding in renewable resource management

Jul 26, 2023 | 2:52 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The executive director of the BC Wildlife Federation has released an op-ed calling on the provincial government to increase funding in renewable resource management to prevent wildfire seasons from getting worse than they already are.

In the midst of the worst wildfire season in B.C.’s history, there have been lots of questions around what can be done to make the situation better in the long-term. The executive director of the BC Wildlife Federation, Jesse Zeman, has released an op-ed titled “BC had 20 years to act and now everything is on fire”. A stark headline for a serious problem.

“If you want healthy and abundant fish and wildlife populations and you want a healthy environment, you have to invest in it, just like we invest in health care and education. And what the data shows is that instead of actually rising to the occasion, we’ve actually de-funded renewable resource management and really just made things worse.” – Jesse Zeman, Executive Director, BC Wildlife Federation

Jesse says that the problem that the province is facing currently is that not enough is being invested into renewable resources and that renewable resource management should be allocated 5 percent in the provincial budget, as opposed to it’s current 1.1 percent.

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“What’s going on right now is just really kind of an outcome or an artifact of not investing in renewable resource management and really looking at the short term instead of the long term. So, you know, fire can have an impact, negative impact on wildlife, but if fires [are] put on the landscape properly. It’s good for people, it’s good for property, it’s good for wildlife. So there are a lot of benefits, but that does not involve spending $500 million or $700 billion on wildfire in the middle of the summer. That involves planning it and the budget, investing in it, taking care of it. And that’s just really not where the province of BC has been headed.” – Jesse Zeman, Executive Director, BC Wildlife Federation

In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, nearly $809 million was spent on fire management, compared to the 2012-2013 fiscal year when only $133 million was spent, highlighting how much has been spent in recent years on fire management alone. In the last fiscal year for which numbers are available, which is 2021-22, $47.5 million was spent on environmental protection, sustainability and climate action. In 2012-13, $40.5 million was spent, but there currently seems to be no consensus on how much should be spent and what an appropriate spending target should be in order to make the situation better. However, Zeman says that the money does need to be there in order to implement plans effectively.

Shadow Minister of Forests Mike Bernier says that our response to forest fires and other climate events should not all be reactionary.

“We learn more every year and I believe that there’s changes that can be made that could help mitigate some of the the forest fires that we’re seeing. But again, I think the biggest issue is right now, as highlighted in that op-ed, is government being reactionary rather than planning for the inevitable.” – Mike Bernier, MLA, Peace River South, Shadow Minister of Forests (BCU)

In a statement to CKPG News, the Ministry of Forests says that the fire management budget for this season is over 204 million and when actual costs exceed the Fire Management budget allocation, the BC Wildfire Service has the statutory authorization to spend additional funds. The Ministry also mentions that 98 million will be spent over three years for wildfire prevention work and on projects to help the BC Wildfire Services respond to future wildfires.

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Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com