Fort St. John firefighter joins delegation urging federal wildfire action in Ottawa

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A Fort St. John-based firefighter is among a group of wildfire experts, survivors and advocates calling on the federal government to take stronger action in addressing Canada’s growing wildfire crisis.

Elias Niederkorn, a wildland firefighter and forest technician, met with members of Parliament and other federal officials on October 22nd and 23rd.

Notable meetings included with Eleanor Olszewski, minister of emergency management and community resilience; Green Party leader Elizabeth May; and Prince George, Peace River and Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer.

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He travelled to Ottawa alongside a delegation which included Indigenous wildfire guardians, volunteer firefighters and Jennifer Saulnier, who lost her Nova Scotia home to a fire in 2023. 

Together, the group pressed the government to improve funding, training and working conditions for wildland firefighters while investing in clean, domestic energy to help combat climate change.

“With the changing world we see, especially around wildfire, it’s becoming a lot more immediate and having heavier impacts on different communities and people,” Niederkorn told Energeticcity.ca. 

“We were looking to see if the federal government would be willing to top up the training and equipment fund that’s already been fully used up halfway through its five-year term.”

In 2022, the federal government committed $256 million to provinces, territories and First Nations for firefighting equipment, alongside an additional $28 million to train 1,000 new community-based firefighters.

The funding came as part of the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate (FMWCC) program.

However, halfway through this five-year initiative, all funds have been allocated and the government is no longer accepting applications.

According to Niederkorn, the meetings were “half and half” in terms of results – productive and positive in tone, but short on firm commitments.

“Our voice was being heard,” he said. “But there’s going to be some need for follow-up and continuing on with the cause and raising more awareness.”

The delegation’s recommendations focused on three main priorities: restoring the FMWCC program, creating a national standard for firefighter training and mobility between provinces, and accelerating clean energy investments to address the root causes of worsening fires.

Niederkorn, who has worked on the front lines with unit crews, Parks Canada initiatives and post-wildfire timber salvage planning with First Nations and industry partners, said the lack of stable, year-round firefighting careers contributes to the loss of valuable experience.

“We’re seeing a lot of young adults with minimal experience trying to fill roles that used to be staffed by more seasoned firefighters,” he explained. 

“If we can find a way to make this more year-round and create standardized training, we’d have a stronger frontline response.”

He added that investment in clean, Canadian energy is equally important in addressing the broader issue.

“Renewable resources within Canada are key to both our economy and climate goals,” said Niederkorn. “Better stewardship of roads, forests and rivers also helps improve how we respond to fires.”

To see Energeticcity.ca‘s coverage of wildfires in northeast B.C., visit our dedicated forest fires page.