Wildland fire in Canada: Communities at Risk
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Wildland Fire in Canada:Communities at Risk
Wildland Fire in Canada:Communities at Risk
Presented to Global Disaster Information NetworkWashington DC, March 25-28, 2004
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Canada’s Forest Sector
• Environmental services: • habitat for 140,000 species
• carbon sinks
• water quality
• Renewable resource: • $74 Billion in annual forest product sales
• 300+ rural communities in Canada
• 361,000 direct jobs in forestryNatural Resources Canada Ressources
naturelles CanadaCanadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Forest Fires in Canada
• 7,700 fires
• 3.2 million ha burned
• $0.5 billion suppression cost
• $1 billion (est.) timber lost
• $6.9 million property loss
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Averages
•3% of all wildfires cause 97% of the area burned and generate 80% of the costs.
Forest Fires - 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Forest Fires - 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Forest Fires by Province - 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Large Forest Fires - 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Natural Resources Canada Ressources
naturelles CanadaCanadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Mountain Pine Beetle
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
BC & Alberta – Aug. 21, 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Kewlona, British Columbia
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Kewlona, BC Sept. 3, 2003
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
2003 Fire Emergency 2003 Fire Emergency
Impact in BC and AB were unprecedented in modern times in Canada
•300+ homes lost
•30,000+ residents evacuated
•Personal property damage > $100 M
•Evacuation & Suppression costs – BC requested $200M from federal government
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Socioeconomic Context Socioeconomic Context
•Fire management is the most costly element of forest management.
•Federal government is responsible for fire research and supporting fire operations.
•Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre coordinates resource exchanges
•Provinces, Territories, and Parks Canada are responsible for fire management
•Municipalities are responsible for fire suppression in rural and urban areas.Natural Resources Canada Ressources
naturelles CanadaCanadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Recent Incidents • Kelowna/Barriere, BC (2003)
• Hillcrest/Blairmore, AB (2003)
• Turtle Lake, SK (2002)
• Chisholm, AB (2001)
• Burwash Landing, YK (1999)
• La Ronge, SK (1999)
• Beardmore, ON (1999)
• Shelburne County, NS (1999)
• Badger, NF (1999)
• Salmon Arm, BC (1998)
• Swan Hills, AB (1998)
• Granum, AB (1997)
• Timmins, ON (1997)
• Affect thousands of Canadians each year• Significant social and economic impacts• Potential for lost of life is rising
Wildland-Urban Interface Fires Wildland-Urban Interface Fires
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Climate Change ImpactsAnnual Area Burned (%)
1959-99 Increasing fire activity is expected Increasing fire activity is expected
• Longer fire season
• More severe fire weather
• More and larger fires
• More extreme fire behaviour
• More escape wildfires
• Increased fire impacts
• Longer fire season
• More severe fire weather
• More and larger fires
• More extreme fire behaviour
• More escape wildfires
• Increased fire impacts
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Socioeconomic Trends
Population growth in wildland-urban interface (more lives and property will be at risk)
Increased smoke impact on health (smoke will become a greater problem in large urban centers)
Greater costs / losses (suppression, evacuation, compensation, rehabilitation)
Population growth in wildland-urban interface (more lives and property will be at risk)
Increased smoke impact on health (smoke will become a greater problem in large urban centers)
Greater costs / losses (suppression, evacuation, compensation, rehabilitation)
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
The Need
Develop innovative processes and relationships among all stakeholders based on joint risk management
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
Analyse the complex interactions between wildland fire, communities, the forestry sector, and government.
•Policies to balance social, economic, and ecological impacts of fire
•Role of various stakeholders in forest fire management
•Social and economic costs of forest fires
•Adequacy of existing infrastructure
•Sharing the risk of wildland-urban interface fires
•Hazard mitigation to proactively reduce wildfires risk
Considerations
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
•Environment Scan - policies, practices, infrastructure, state of the art
•Assess vulnerability - number of communities/citizens at risk
•Forecast future trends - forest fire activity and impacts
•Economic evaluation – costs, losses, compensation, rehabilitation,
•Evaluate hazard mitigation and risk management strategies
•Initiate dialogue on stakeholder roles
An Approach
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
In Conclusion….A joint risk management approach would address the growing complexity and uncertainty of forest fire management.
Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service Service canadien
des forêts
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