Canada Gives British Columbia $100 Million for Summer Wildfires

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada, October 30, 2003 (ENS) – The Government of Canada will provide a $100 million (US$76 million) advance under the national Disaster Financial Assistance program to help meet British Columbia’s costs from this year’s wildfires, said John McCallum, Minister of National Defence, and Premier Gordon Campbell.

“The Government of Canada is very concerned about the extensive damage that was caused by the wildfires in British Columbia,” McCallum said, announcing the payment on Saturday. “I have seen first hand the devastation that these fires caused. I directed that federal officials work closely with their provincial counterparts to make this advance payment available so quickly.”

Premier Gordon Campbell (left) and John McCallum, Minister of National Defence announce the federal funding. (Photo courtesy Government of British Columbia)

By the end of August, 18 wildland fires had threatened homes or communities. A total of 334 homes and 10 businesses were destroyed and over 50,000 people were evacuated from their homes.

Since April 1, wildfires consumed more than 180,800 hectares (695 square miles). More than 7,600 firefighters helped battle the wildfires, many from the United States.

To date, the province has identified an estimated $550 million in total costs related to wildfires, including $20 million in emergency costs for individuals to assist the more than 37,500 evacuees who registered for emergency food, clothing and accommodation.

This includes $4 million for residents of Barriere, McLure and Louis Creek, $15 million for residents of Kelowna and the remainder for other evacuees provincewide.

“The federal government immediately responded to our request for disaster financial assistance, and worked quickly and cooperatively to provide advance funding,” Campbell said. “I want to thank Minister McCallum and the federal government for their hard work to begin assisting the province right away with the costs we have incurred.

The funds will reimburse the province for the costs of fighting interface fires by municipal fire departments, Ministry of Forests’ crews and air attack resources, provision of emergency shelter for fire victims and evacuees, and providing emergency operations centers, support to volunteers, emergency water treatment, transportation route clearance and extra policing.

"It’s important to note, the province has already committed an estimated $550 million in costs related to the fires, including $20 million in emergency shelter and relief for individuals," said Premier Campbell. "Today’s funding will help meet a portion of the costs we have already incurred, and we’ll continue working together to secure additional federal assistance as the province’s total costs are assessed and finalized.”

In addition, up to $50 million has been committed by the province for forest remediation. This includes watershed restoration and repairs to damages done by heavy equipment.

Summer wildfire menaces the British Columbia city of Kelowna. (Photo by Steve Devries courtesy Provincial Emergency Program)

In addition to provincial emergency services, several nonprofit and community agencies have provided assistance to individuals, including $8.7 million raised by the North Thompson Relief Fund, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

To date, the North Thompson Relief Fund has already provided $1.6 million to 30 individual families for assistance, including individual allotments of $55,000 worth of building materials to construct new homes, with labor costs donated by other volunteer agencies such as Habitat for Humanity and the Mennonite Disaster Services.

On September 14, British Columbia entered into three agreements with U.S. partners, aimed at strengthening cross-border wild fire management and cooperation on environmental issues.

The agreements were signed at a joint meeting of the seven western premiers, chaired by Premier Campbell, and the 21 member Western Governors Association. The memorandum of understanding to enhance fire protection was agreed to by all premiers and governors.

The agreement will "help ensure that we continue to work to fight fires more quickly, for the good of citizens on both sides of the border,” Campbell said.

“Canadian provinces are our most significant economic partners,” said Montana Governor and Western Governors’ Association chair Judy Martz, who hosted this year’s meeting. “It is vital that we understand each other’s concerns and work together.”

The firefighting agreement formalizes a commitment to working together made during the 2001 meeting of the western premiers and the Western Governors’ Association.

Among other objectives it aims to ensure speedy and safe cross-border clearance of crews and equipment and ensure continued coordination between states and provinces and national firefighting organizations.