Strengthening wildfire prevention, creating local jobs

Press Release

June 8, 2026

New funding supports community projects to reduce wildfire risks, restore local ecosystems

LAKE COUNTRY –

Summary

• B.C.’s commitment of $20 million annually to Forest Enhancement Society of BC will help organizations as they develop new and innovative forest practices
• The funding will support 60 forest enhancement projects being undertaken this year
• The forest enhancement projects will be delivered by First Nations, local governments, community forests, woodlot operators, forestry companies and other organizations working to improve the long-term health and resilience of B.C.’s forests

More communities throughout B.C. will be better protected from wildfire risk, keeping people safe.

With a new annual investment to fund forest enhancement projects throughout the province, people in British Columbia are benefiting from good-paying jobs and wildfire-resilient forests.

Through the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), the Province is committing $20 million per year over three years supporting First Nations, local governments, community forests, local forestry companies and community organizations. This investment funds projects that reduce wildfire risk, restore forest ecosystems and improve the long-term health and resilience of B.C.’s forests.

“The best wildfire is the one that never starts. The best way to protect communities is to work together to prevent them,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Through this investment into FESBC, we’re investing in wildfire resilience and this means local logs for local mills to create local jobs.”

Projects focused on wildfire risk reduction

This year, 60 forest enhancement projects are receiving funding. These projects not only reduce wildfire risk, they also support forest-sector jobs in rural and remote communities. The projects include:

• creating landscape-level fuel breaks
• removing residual fuels
• carrying out prescribed burns
• making improvements to egress routes that are important in the event of an emergency or evacuation

Other benefits of wildfire risk-reduction work include restoring wildlife habitat, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and delivering improved ecosystem health. It also recovers valuable fibre that might otherwise go to waste, fibre that can help keep B.C. mills running.

“These projects reflect the innovation and commitment we continue to see from proponents throughout British Columbia,” said Jason Fisher, executive director, FESBC. “The work being funded will help create healthier, more resilient forests by reducing wildfire risk to better protect communities, restoring important ecosystems and supporting communities that depend on our forests. We are pleased to invest in projects that deliver lasting environmental, social and economic benefits for British Columbians.”

Many of the projects receiving funding are led by Indigenous organizations, First Nations partnerships and community forests that are delivering locally driven solutions for wildfire resilience and sustainable forest management.

Quick Facts:

• As part of Budget 2024, B.C. announced an additional $60 million over three years for FESBC to continue industry- and community-focused wildfire risk reduction and fuel management projects.
• More than 175 communities have benefited from FESBC investments in forest enhancement initiatives that focused on wildfire risk reduction, providing fibre and funding to mills and investing in jobs throughout B.C.
• During the past 10 years, 426 projects have received support from FESBC projects, including 72 that have included First Nations involvement, collaboration and leadership.
• The B.C. forest industry represents more than 2,000 facilities, nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and $12.8 billion in annual GDP.

Learn More:

• To learn more about FESBC, visit: https://fesbc.ca/
• To learn about an additional $37 million in funding for FESBC from the federal government, visit:
  https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2026/06/canada-advances-forest-sector-transformation-to-protect-jobs-and-strengthen-communities-nationwide0.html

A backgrounder follows.

Contacts:Ministry of Forests
Media Relations
Forest.Media@gov.bc.ca
250-380-8491Forest Enhancement Society of BC
Communications
communications@fesbc.ca
250-574-0221

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BACKGROUNDER

Facts about the forest enhancement projects

 

The total amount of provincial funding for these 60 projects for 2026-27 is $20 million.

Forest rehabilitation projects

Taan Forest, Riparian Restoration 2026-27: $347,400

Ntityix Resources, Pre-Commercial Thinning and Decomposition Trial: $93,300

Wildfire risk reduction projects

BC Parks

• Dragon Mountain Park, Treatment Unit 1 Treatment: $450,000
• Kootenay, Columbia Lake Park Wildfire Resiliency: $150,000

Burns Lake Community Forest Ltd., Landscape Wildfire Hazard Reduction: $252,700

Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation (CCR) Ltd.

• 2023 CCR, Anaham Primary Fuel Break: $15,000
• CCR Wildfire Risk Reduction and Fibre Utilization: $21,700
• Puntzi, Redstone and Alexis Creek, Hand Treatments: $902,900

Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation, Highway 20 Access-Egress Wildfire Risk Reduction : $303,000

Chilcotin Plateau Enterprise Ltd., Sheep Creek Hill Wildfire Risk Reduction Project: $400,000

Chinook Community Forest, Chinook Wildfire Risk Reduction Southside/Rose Lake: $580,100

City of Kimberley, 2025 Kimberley Landscape Fuel Break Treatment Unit 11: $300,200

City of Quesnel, Prescription Development and Wildfire Risk Reduction in the Wildland Urban Interface: $269,900

Clinton and District Community Forest of BC Ltd., Dry Belt Fir Stand Resiliency Practices: $138,700

Columbia Woodlot Association, Mount 7 Phase 2 Wildfire Risk Reduction Mulching: $271,500

Creston Valley Forest Corporation, 2025-27 Cutting Permit 35 Wildfire Risk Reduction: $502,300

District of Summerland, Fuel Treatment Unit 22 Wildfire Risk Reduction Prescriptions: $95,000

Eniyud Community Forest Limited Partnership

• Eniyud Wildfire Treatment, Tatlayoko Rd.: $461,100
• Tatlayoko Fuel Break, Hand Treatments: $13,200

FNFN/NRRM Community Forest (Fort Nelson), Fort Nelson Community Forest Wildfire Risk Reduction 2025-27: $759,900

Forsite Consultants Ltd.

• Silver Star Road Egress Wildfire Risk Reduction Implementation: $19,600
• Vernon, Wildfire Risk Reduction Ellison Treatment Unit 8: $172,100
• Williams Lake, Airport Road Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatments: $66,100

Harrop-Procter Community Co-operative, Project proposals 2025-26 and 2026-27: $423,100

Kaslo and District Community Forest Society

• Buchanan Landscape Level Fire Break Cutting Permit 47-1: $5,300
• Lardeau Wildfire Risk Reduction: $89,500
• Mt. Buchanan Fire Access Trail: $3,300

Logan Lake Community Forest Corporation, Fuel Treatments (2025–27): $1,090,000

Lower Kootenay Indian Band, Creston Airport Fuel Management: $315,000

Lower Nicola Indian Band, Mamit Lake Road Wildfire Risk Reduction: $35,300

Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society, East Barriere Lake Wildfire Risk Reduction, Type 1: $373,000

McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest, Highway 39 (2025-27): $202,300

Nakusp and Area Community Forest

• NACFOR, Treatment Unit 5 Wensley Phase II: $366,100
• Summit Lake Ecosystem Resiliency Project: $320,000

Nazko First Nation, Nazko East Implementation: $574,200

Ntityix Resources LP, Glenrosa Fuel Mitigation (2025-27): $558,700

Okanagan Nation Alliance, Darke Lake Wildfire Risk Reduction Project, Phase 2: $7,600

Rocky Mountain Trench Society, Indian Springs Ecosystem Restoration: $316,800

Shulus Forest Enterprises, 8 Mile Fuel Treatments: $815,400

Shulus Forest Enterprises LP, Iron Mountain Fuel Management Prescription and Treatment: $37,200

Silvicon Services Inc., Wildfire Risk Reduction in the South Ootsa region: $1 million

Slocan Integral Forestry Co-operative (SIFCO), Slocan Valley Wildland Urban Interface (2025-27): $318,800

Sun Peaks Resort Municipality, Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatments (2025-27): $310,100

Sunshine Coast Community Forest Ltd

• Wildfire Risk Reduction Prescriptions/Treatments (2025-27): $331,700
• Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatments Treatment Units 5 / 8 / 9 (2025-26): $299,300

Three Rivers Community Forest Limited Partnership, (TRCF) Dragon Lake Wildfire Risk Reduction: $827,600

Three Rivers Community Forest, Milburn Mountain Fuel Break: $70,800

Tsitadinagi Forestry, Esdilagh Extension Wildfire Risk Reduction: $323,200

Vermillion Forks Community Forest Corporation

• Coalmont Fuel Reduction Completion: $176,900
• Wildfire Risk Reduction Forest Enhancement Society 2 Polygon, Prescription: $16,700

Wells Barkerville Community Forest, Learning Forest Wildfire Risk Reduction: $183,100

West Kootenay Woodlot Association, Woodlot 405 Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: $214,600

Williams Lake Community Forest LP, Flatrock Tactical Plan Treatments: $177,000

Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), Slater Mountain Wildfire Risk Reduction: $477,000

WLFN Forestry Limited Partnership

• Dugan Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: $153,200
• Wildfire Risk Reduction Forest Enhancement Society 2 Polygon, Prescription: $424,700

Woodlot Product Development Council, Woodlots BC Wildfire Risk Reduction: $1,410,000

Yalakom Valley Society, Yalakom Valley Wildfire Risk Reduction: $76,200

Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) 2007 LLP

• Monashee community Forest Wildfire Risk Reduction, Phase 2: $451,700
• Mount Ida Wildfire Risk Reduction: $444,100

Contacts:Ministry of Forests
Media Relations
Forest.Media@gov.bc.ca
250-380-8491Forest Enhancement Society of BC
Communications
communications@fesbc.ca
250-574-0221

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