BURSTB.C. is hosting a national wildfire symposium on Dec. 5 in Vancouver to learn from the 2025 season and strategize for the future.
“As wildfire seasons become more severe and complex, it’s paramount that we coordinate our national response capabilities to protect the safety, health and economic well-being of communities from coast to coast to coast,” Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said.
The event will bring together national and international experts to share experiences and techniques for suppression, prevention and recovery, as well as technology’s role in wildfire fighting and how to strengthen intergovernmental coordination.
One of the goals of the meetings is to advance discussions on a national leadership strategy.
This past wildfire season was less destructive than the previous two, but there were still 1,350 fires and an estimated 886,360 hectares burned. In 2024, there were 1,697 fires, with 1,081,159 hectares burned; and in 2023, there were 2,293 fires, with 2,840,104 hectares burned.
The most similar recent fire season was 2021, with 1,647 fires and 869,300 hectares burned. Those fires resulted in 181 evacuation orders and 304 evacuation alerts. During this past season, in comparison, there were just 42 evacuation orders and 91 alerts.
B.C. has recently made changes to B.C. Wildfire Service, increasing the number of full-time staff by 56 per cent ahead of the 2025 season, and making more than 600 positions year-round. It also doubled its night-vision capable fleet to four helicopters, something regularly credited over the summer with aiding the effort during the hot summer season.