The Columbia Shuswap Regional District board has decided to reject the province’s Cooperative Community Wildfire Response Program. Directors unanimously backed General Manager Derek Sutherland’s plan to opt out and expressed their concerns in a letter to Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.
This program, initiated by the BC Wildfire Service, aimed to involve property owners more actively in wildfire response. After the severe wildfires of 2023, the service collaborated with the Fraser Basin Council to offer public training. The idea was to help residents, especially those outside fire protection areas, join in actions like patrols and resource support. However, participants could not engage in actual fire suppression or work within evacuation zones.
Things took a turn in October 2024 when community groups learned that the Fraser Basin Council had stepped back, leaving the regional districts responsible for organizing the program. According to Sutherland, this was the first time the CSRD team became aware of these new duties. He highlighted that managing the program would strain the regional district financially, effectively passing an unanticipated burden to local taxpayers.
Sutherland raised additional issues. He pointed out there is no established service area for this program within the regional district. Furthermore, the BC Wildfire Service only provides support in areas that lack fire protection. This was concerning, especially given that many residents were eager to contribute directly to firefighting efforts. Instead, the program limits their involvement to tasks far from the action.
Early discussions had excited CSRD staff about the program’s potential. However, Sutherland indicated that the rollout differed significantly from their expectations. Public volunteers were relegated to “Type 3” roles, which involve basic tasks like digging ditches, far from the direct engagement they wanted. “These are two very different things,” he noted, along with worries about the lack of BCWS leadership in this program.
Director Jay Simpson, representing North Shuswap, shared his community’s pain following the 2023 wildfires. He expressed frustration that there’s no funding for those within fire-protected areas who want to help during initial fire attacks. “Our community has been hit hard,” he said, emphasizing the need for better resources to address fires early on. “This program doesn’t help us, and putting this burden on us just won’t work.”
Kevin Flynn, the director for Salmon Arm, echoed these sentiments. He felt the efforts of the premier’s task force post-wildfire had been futile. “It’s frustrating when input is gathered but largely ignored,” he said, referring to the lack of effective communication with CSRD.
Area E Director Rhona Martin appreciated CSRD’s decision to send their letter to Parmar, ensuring that all regional districts in B.C. would understand the rationale behind opting out of the program. She emphasized the importance of keeping residents informed about the ongoing wildfire efforts and the reasons for this stance.
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Columbia Shuswap Regional District|Wildlife
