Experts urge B.C. to rethink wildfire response as L.A. battles fires

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‘We do not have enough firefighters,’ says José Martí, an engineering professor at UBC.

Published Jan 11, 2025 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 3 minute read

File photo of a firefighter on the ground on the Donnie Creek wildfire in northeastern B.C. Photo by B.C. Wildfire Service /Government of B.C.

As wildfires continue to devastate parts of Southern California, experts are pointing to critical lessons that British Columbians can learn from the continuing crisis in Los Angeles.

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The most urgent takeaway: Neither B.C. nor L.A. has enough firefighters to meet the demands of increasingly extreme wildfire seasons.

In the L.A. area, several large wildfires are raging, fuelled by strong winds and persistent drought conditions, causing at least 11 deaths, destroying more than 10,000 structures — most of them homes — and forcing 130,000 people to evacuate.

With close to 2,000 firefighters stretched thin in L.A., including personnel from across the state and even out-of-state teams, José Martí, a professor of computer and electrical engineering at UBC, warns that a similar crisis could unfold in B.C. unless the province strengthens its wildfire management strategy.

“We do not have enough firefighters, and we’re seeing larger and larger fires, going uncontrolled in B.C. and now L.A.,” he said.

“With the reality of climate change, we can only reason to expect that difficult conditions like this will be ahead, and we have to anticipate and plan for this,” added Kevin Hanna, an associate professor of earth, environmental and geographic sciences at UBC.

While Hanna can’t predict exactly what 2025 will bring, he cautioned that British Columbians should brace for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. These seasons start earlier, last longer and feature fires that are harder to control.

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la fires photos — A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on Jan. 8, 2025.Photo by AFP Contributor#AFP /AFP via Getty Images

la wildfires photos — This satellite image taken and released by Maxar Technologies on January 8, 2025 shows burned structures and active fire during the Palisades Fire along Pacific Coast Highway near Tuna Canyon Park in Malibu, California. Photo by Satellite image /©2025 Maxar Technologies

Fire destruction — A person walks amid the destruction left behind by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Jae C. Hong /AP

Malibu fire — Homes bordering the Pacific Ocean are burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Jae C. Hong /AP

Van burn — A VW van sits among burned out homes, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. Photo by Mark J. Terrill /AP

Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ethan Swope /AP

Palisades fire — The devastation from the Palisades Fire is seen from the air in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Mark J. Terrill /AP

Cesar Plaza becomes emotional while looking at his home destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Nic Coury /AP

Helicopter fire — Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ethan Swope /AP

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Some B.C. wildfire experts argue that the province should prioritize preventive measures, such as fuel treatments and prescribed burning, to mitigate the risk and severity of future fires.

Martí, who is developing FireEdge — a technology designed to predict wildfire perimeter expansion in real-time — believes the main issue is a lack of resources and their effective use.

“Predicting the direction of wildfire spread is currently a guessing game, which means that immediate fire prevention and management techniques aren’t always as effective as they should be.”

On Thursday, the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center requested assistance from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which deployed two CL-415 skimmer air tankers and flight crews to assist in Southern California.

Martí says that B.C. needs to shift from a volunteer-based firefighting model to a professional, full-time force. This transition would involve more formal training, including the use of emerging technologies such as predictive fire modelling and drone-assisted monitoring — tools essential for modern wildfire management.

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B.C. has traditionally relied on mutual aid agreements with neighbouring provinces and even other countries. However, with climate change exacerbating fire risks across North America, Martí warns that this external support is no longer guaranteed.

“We need these personnel and resources to be permanent, so we can rely on them at any time and know they’ll be available,” he said.

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In 2023, B.C. faced one of its most devastating wildfire seasons on record, with more than 1,600 fires burning across the province, scorching more than 600,000 hectares, and displacing thousands of residents. That same year, B.C. Wildfire Service had 2,000 firefighters and support staff, most of whom were seasonal workers trained to fight fires.

In recent years, the B.C. General Employees’ Union, which represents wild land firefighters, has also called on the province to offer permanent salaries to wildfire fighters and contractors, rather than paying them hourly.

sgrochowski@postmedia.com

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