For the second year in a row, wildfires have forced the government to declare a provincial state of emergency.
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth ushered in the state of emergency via a press conference this morning.
According to Minister Farnworth, the declaration gives the province the power needed to tap in to resources and administrative actions to advance firefighting efforts.
Chief fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek also spoke at the conference, giving a snapshot of why the declaration was made.
There are currently 34 hundred firefighters from BC, 14 hundred support personnel, and more than 400 out of province personnel working on the fires in BC, with federal support set to arrive soon.
Last year’s state of emergency lasted for 10 weeks.
Effects on Telegraph Creek
Minister of Forests and Lands Doug Donaldson spoke today on how the provincial state of emergency will benefit wild fire efforts in Telegraph Creek.
Donaldson believes the declaration will ease coordination efforts between the various teams working to extinguish the fires.
The Minister is currently in Dease Lake observing and assisting with coordination of fire fighting efforts on the Alkali Lake fire.
