Public Safety
Wildfires threaten lives, property, infrastructure, and emotional well-being. Wildfires contribute to climate change and can fundamentally change the health and functioning of watersheds and ecosystems. Wildfire response costs billions both in direct fire fighting costs as well as indirect costs from the need for drinking water treatment systems, lost tourism, and other revenue losses.
In 4 of the last 8 years, BC has experienced the most devastating wildfires in recorded history. Our watersheds are becoming drier due to changing precipitation patterns, higher summer temperatures, and a loss of naturally water-retaining features such as wetlands. Drier watersheds result in an increased risk of wildfire.
We need to increase water supply by retaining water on the landscape through natural infrastructure. Fire and drought go hand in hand; the severity of fires increases with the intensity of drought. By better capturing and slowing down rain and snowmelt, we can increase water supply on the land, enabling watersheds to function effectively and reducing the intensity and impact of wildfires.
