Wildfire Treatment Fund Topped Up

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - The Province is committing $25 million over two years to the fund that has been used by communities throughout B.C. to deal with wildfire threat. 

“This is very good news” says City of Prince George Manager of Environment, Dan Adamson, who says there are still a couple of small sites within the City of Prince George where such funding could help to reduce the threat of wildfires.  

The funding available previously through the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative has helped communities like Prince George identify areas of risk and initiate fuel management projects. In some cases that has funded such projects as the   removal of dead trees, cleaning up low branches and reducing debris from the forest floor. 

It was thought that when the previous fund ran dry, it would not be topped up. “If the rules are the same ( for applications) that would certainly help with wildfire treatment we have wanted to deal with” says Adamson. 

The City of Prince George has entered into an agreement with the Lheidli T’enneh and the Regional District of Fraser Fort George to expand the community forest in an effort to address some of the wildfire risk facing the region. 

The new funding adds to $37 million provided by the Province and the Federal Government since the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative was introduced in 2004. Funding for the program will continue to be administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities on behalf of the Province. Funding to local governments will be based on a cost-sharing formula.

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