BC is coming off the worst wildfire season in its history, as it cost more than $564 million dollars to extinguish the fires that scorched more than 1.2 million hectares.
In 2017, forest fires also resulted in a state-of-emergency that lasted ten weeks.
While Vancouver Island wasn’t hit hard by forest fires in 2017, Municipality of North Cowichan staff is asking the public to report wildfires or suspicious activity as soon as they see it this fire season.
Municipal Forester Shaun Mason says it’s important that people provide dispatchers with thorough information when reporting a wildfire.
Mason is a Forester with the Municipality of North Cowichan and says it’s important that British Columbians are vigilant about reporting wildfire and suspicious activity.
Last year, the human-caused Elephant Hill fire near Ashcroft morphed into what’s now known as the Plateau fire, a complex containing twenty fires, burning an estimated 545,000 hectares.
To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or text *5555 on your cell phone.
