Wildfires burning a hole in BC’s wallet
Posted May 29, 2016 1:49 pm.
Last Updated May 30, 2016 7:29 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – More than half of the money set aside for wildfires in BC has been spent already.
Nearly $38 million have been spent so far out of the $63 million earmarked for wildfire season.
The scorching start is mainly due to the ferocious fires burning in the Peace Region.
Ryan Turcot with the BC Wildfire Service says the numbers aren’t great, but there is no need to worry about running out of money.
“Costs have ranged from a low of $54 million in 2011 to a record high of $382 million in 2009. Last year we spent an estimated $277 million for the season.”
Turcot says this is another reminder of the cost of human-caused fires.
“One human-caused fire is one too many. They end up tying up resources that could be going to unpreventable wildfires especially as we head into the core summer months of the fire season.”
