Overview

• WorkSafeBC reports that a poorly planned prescribed burn during the 2023 Shuswap wildfires endangered firefighter lives, trapping a crew of Brazilian firefighters overnight.
• The BC Wildfire Service has updated its safety procedures following WorkSafeBC's findings, achieving compliance by December 2024.
• WorkSafeBC is now considering administrative penalties for the 'near miss' incident, citing inadequate training, planning, and supervision during the burn.
• The Forest Practices Board continues to investigate negligence claims, including allegations from a local resident that the burn exacerbated wildfire destruction.
• The 2023 wildfires destroyed over 170 properties, including 80 structures on Skwlax te Secwepemculecw First Nation land, intensifying calls for improved wildfire management and accountability.