The District of Tumbler Ridge and the District of Hudson's Hope have sent letters to Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, expressing their concerns with the removal of an initial BC Wildfire attack crew based in Chetwynd, which has been reassigned to Dawson Creek.
In a Feb. 8 letter, Hudson's Hope called the relocation arbitrary, and noted that no consultation was done with local stakeholders and First Nations, including West Moberly, Saulteau, and Halfway River, in addition to the communities of Chetwynd, Tumber Ridge, Moberly Lake, Hassler Flats, Jack Fish Lake, Farrell Creek, and Upper Halfway.
Initial attack crews from Chetwynd have been vital to controlling wildfires in the community and the region through their quick response, explains the letter, signed by Hudson's Hope Mayor Travous Quibell and Fred Burrows, their Director of Protective Services.
"The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act requires the District to consult with all our stakeholders, particularly First Nations Communities, on such an important issue," the letter notes. "However, this requirement doesn't seem to apply to the Ministry."
"The District requests that the Ministry revisit this decision and realize the importance of the staffed Initial Attack Base in Chetwynd," they add. The relocation will change BC Wildfire's average response time from an hour to two and a half hours in Hudson's Hope.
Several fires of note have been seen in Hudson's Hope, including three in 2022, the Dinosaur Lake Fire, Flood Falls Fire, and the Battleship Mountain Fire, resulting in evacuation alerts and orders. The town was also evacuated in 2014, due the threat posed by the McCalister Fire, displacing residents for five days.
Tumbler Ridge's Feb. 6 letter echoed similar sentiments, pointing out the need for swift fire response along the main highway, by rail areas, the Pine Pass, and the East Pine area.
"Their expertise, dedication, and a rapid deployment capabilities have been instrumental in containing wildfires and safeguarding our community's safety and well-being," states the letter, signed by Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka. His district is also willing to support the establishment of an additional attack crew if needed.
"Considering the growing threat posed by wildfires in our province, we must bolster rather than diminish our firefighting capabilities," the letter notes.
You can read the letters below in full:
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