‘Important investment’: B.C. forestry ministry praises $257.6 million federal boost to wildfire fighting

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C.  — The B.C. Ministry of Forests is encouraged that the Government of Canada has taken a huge step to amp up aerial firefighting capacity. 

Anthony Housefather, parliamentary secretary to Eleanor Olszewski, federal minister of emergency management and community resilience and minister responsible for Prairies economic development, recently highlighted a new multi-million-dollar investment of over $257.6 million for four years to Natural Resources Canada. 

The funds will be used to lease firefighting aircrafts, which can include waterbombers or other aircrafts to deliver water or fire retardant drops in hard-to-reach areas. 

This will boost the provincial and territorial aerial firefighting capacity. 

When asked how these funds will be allocated, Soraya Lemur, press secretary for Olszewski’s office, said: “In case there is an emergency in that province, then they would make a request for assistance, and based on that request of assistance, of course, part of the funding, depending on how big of an emergency it is would go towards helping them resolve it.” 

B.C.’s Ministry of Forests says although the 2025 wildfire season in the province was less destructive than previous years, throughout Canada, it was one of the most challenging the country has faced, impacting people from coast to coast.

A spokesperson for the ministry said: “This is an important investment to support the country’s ability to effectively fight wildfires.”

The Ministry of Forests will be hosting a national wildfire symposium in Vancouver on December 5th. This event will bring the government, wildfire experts, key industry and Indigenous partners to discuss the 2025 wildfire season. However, this event is by invite only. 

The 2025 wildfires season saw over 300 wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre (PGFC) coverage area. For more news about all our wildfire coverage, visit our dedicated forest fires page.