Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, has issued the following statement in response to the crash of an aircraft transporting BC Wildfire Service contractors in the Northwest Fire Centre:

The BC Wildfire Service plans to conduct a 32-hectare ecosystem restoration burn in the Gibbs Creek area about 10 kilometres west of Grand Forks, off the Gibbs Creek Forest Service Road.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing more than $169,000 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in northwest British Columbia.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing more than $72,700 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in the Cowichan Valley.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing over $168,000 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in the capital region.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing more than $907,000 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in the Southeast Fire Centre.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing more than $2.2 million in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in the Kamloops Fire Centre.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing $75,000 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in Haida Gwaii.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing a $47,390 community resiliency investment grant to the Regional District of Nanaimo to support projects in the Nanaimo area.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce wildfire threats, the B.C. government is providing more than $395,000 in community resiliency investment grants to support projects in the Prince George Fire Centre.