Whereas rural volunteer fire departments in BC provide safety for their communities and also save the Province millions of dollars through their courageous efforts in fighting wildfires; And whereas many of these fire departments are self-funded brigades that operate without financial support from any level of government due to an insufficient tax base; And whereas the flood and fire report Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in BC recognizes the need for a strategy to support these fire departments and brigades in the valuable role they play in fighting wildfires: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of British Columbia provide funding to rural and First Nations fire brigades and fire departments for emergency training, equipment and response capacity with respect to urban interface wildfires.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The Province recognizes the strength and contribution of volunteers in particular, our first responder volunteers and takes this opportunity to express its gratitude. The 2017 and 2018 fire seasons demonstrated that resourcing wildfires is becoming more challenging. The Province is currently reviewing options, including cross-training and mechanisms to increase firefighting capacity as part of the response to the Abbott Chapman report. The BC Wildfire Service will continue to work closely with local fire departments and volunteer firefighters throughout the year to plan for each wildfire season and also co-ordinate effective responses to wildfires that occur in wildland-urban interface areas. The BC Wildfire Service will also continue to collaborate regularly with local fire department personnel to develop cross-training exercises. This resolution will be forwarded to the B.C. FireSmart Committee for consideration. This committee is a partnership between the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development; the Office of the Fire Commissioner; the Fire Chiefs Association of British Columbia; the Union of B.C. Municipalities; the First Nations Emergency Services Society of B.C.; and the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.