Emergency Management

The Province is currently updating the B.C. Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Guidelines, which were last amended in 2018. These guidelines provide suggestions for local governments on floodplain mapping, flood risk assessments, resiliency planning, and development approvals.

E-Comm 911 has begun its phased migration to the Next Generation 911 (NG911) network, with staggered migrations starting September 22 and continuing until the end of November 2026.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC), in collaboration with the Single Standard of Fire Safety Working Group, has updated its Regional District Fire Inspection and Fire Investigation Procedures document.

The latest version of the BC Heat Alert and Response System (HARS) is now available.

The Province has introduced regulations for local authorities, which have been added to the Emergency and Disaster Management Regulation. Most of the new regulations for local authorities will not come into effect until January 2027, consistent with local government requests for additional preparation time.

Five years after a devastating wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of the Village of Lytton, the Office of the Auditor General has released its review of the Province’s role in the recovery efforts. A key finding is the lack of local government capacity and funding to address large-scale recovery operations and legislatively mandated duties.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) is reminding local governments that all fire inspectors and investigators designated under the Fire Safety Act must meet the required training standards by September 30, 2026. More information is available in a recent OFC bulletin.

Documents outlining the administrative penalty process under the Fire Safety Act are now available. In the coming months, the Office of the Fire Commissioner will host virtual information sessions for local government to discuss the process in more detail.

Nominations for the 2026-27 Emergency Management Exemplary Service Awards (EMESA) are now open. The EMESA, a partnership between provincial, territorial and federal governments, honours individuals and groups working in emergency management who have achieved excellence in their respective fields. All local government nominations must be submitted by May 31, 2026. (Extended from April 30)

Local governments are invited to a webinar – January 22, 10-11am – to review the BC Disaster and Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment (DCRRA). This new resource provides information and data to better understand how different hazard scenarios could affect people, infrastructure and communities across the province.