BC has spent $57 million fighting wildfires so far in 2012
Posted August 1, 2012 11:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Fighting wildfires is a costly endeavor. But BC is getting millions back by sending out crews elsewhere.
Since April 1st, the province has spent $57 million fighting 670 fires. This is considerably more than last year.
Because of a change in accounting measures, we don’t know how it really compares to other years. But what we do know is that some of that cost is being recovered. Fire Information Officer Fionna Tollovsen says that’s due to fires in other parts of the country.
“We’ve had a few opportunities to send some of our personnel out of province, into Ontario and Quebec, and more recently, into the Northwest Territories,” she explains, adding nearly $6 million has been recovered.
“This is really a cost-recovery, where we’re just able to cover the cost of those crews when they are sent out of province,” she notes.
Tollovsen adds it takes just 48 hours to get crews back, if needed. That might be the case in August because it’s been a dry July and things aren’t expected to change.
Concerns over highway median fires
With the heat expected this weekend comes dry fire fuel, and not just in rural areas.
Delta Fire Deputy Chief Paul Scholfield says highway median fires can be a real danger this time of year from drivers who toss cigarette butts.
“While a truck is attending these, if someone else had a real emergency, then another truck is going to be delayed because they’re going to be farther away from an actual incident,” he explains.
“It becomes a nuisance call to us because it ties up resources and while we’re spending time attending these nuisance fires, we could be in need for somebody who has a real emergency somewhere else,” adds Scholfield.
Police warn they can pull you over and give you a littering fine if you’re caught flicking a butt out your car window.
