The Forest Practices Board has found that planned ignitions by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) during a 2023 wildfire were ``reasonable.’’
An investigation into the devasting Downton Lake Wildfire that destroyed 40 homes along Gun Lake, has revealed a troubled history of complaints made against the wildfire service.
The complaints from residents stem from the use of planned ignitions during a wildfire near Gun Lake, raised serious concerns about oversight, responsiveness, and wildfire prevention practices and contributed to the destruction of the homes on the west side of the lake.
A planned ignition is a deliberate use of fire in an emergency to remove unburned fuel from an area, typically between a control line and the wildfire. Burning this fuel can help contain the wildfire and make fire suppression efforts more efficient.
The BC Wildfire Service Board has acknowledged the previous complaints but maintains that it followed standard procedures.
The Service added that it complied with the Wildfire Act and BCWS’s decision to conduct the ignition in this emergency, and that is was based on sound forest practices and a reasonable assessment of the wildfire threat.
“We recognize the devastating losses experienced by the people and community of Gun Lake,” said Keith Atkinson, chair, Forest Practices Board. “After a thorough review, we found that BC Wildfire Service acted within its legal authority, and its decision to conduct a planned ignition on Aug. 1, 2023, was reasonable given the circumstances and the threat the wildfire posed to the area.”