Four of the highest-cost wildfire years in recorded history have occurred since 2017 (University of Victoria POLIS).
| Year | Total Fires | Total Hectares Burned | Total Cost ($ millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,251 | 2,840,571 | 966 |
| 2021 | 1,652 | 869,279 | 719 |
| 2018 | 2,117 | 1,354,284 | 615 |
| 2017 | 1,353 | 1,216,053 | 649 |
POLIS also published a 2021 BC wildfire threat assessment map, which shows that significant portions of BC have moderate, high, and extreme threats. They also discuss the causes of increased severity of wildfires and their many social, ecological and economic impacts. One of the impacts is the amount of greenhouse gases that are released. Catastrophic wildfires in areas where trees have built up over many years release huge amounts of greenhouse gases. On the other hand, they say that although thinning out trees releases some carbon immediately, treatment also “reduces overall carbon emissions and stabilizes carbon storage compared to untreated landscapes”.
The purpose of Forestry Works for BC is to encourage citizens and leaders in British Columbia to be proud of forestry.
Please visit Forestry Works for BC – When Forestry Works, we all do better to learn more.