The impact that climate change is having on wildfire behaviour in B.C. will be a focus of the Wildfire and Climate Change Conference, taking place in Nelson from June 26-28, 2018, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Minister Doug Donaldson announced today.

“Our forests are changing, so we need to change, too,” said Donaldson. “Adapting to new challenges posed by wildfires and responding to the effects of climate change on our natural environment are critical, and require a concerted effort by all levels of government and land managers.”

The conference has been organized by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development and the Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative (SIFCo). Conference attendees will learn about local, national and international initiatives to address the growing challenges associated with climate change and wildfire behaviour, and the importance of creating fire-resilient ecosystems. Presenters are coming from as far away as Oregon and New Mexico.

“Wildfire and climate change are facts of life that have the potential to impact everyone in British Columbia,” said Stephan Martineau, SIFCo manager. “We need to continue developing a multi-level approach throughout North America to address these issues, share knowledge and learn from each other.”

The conference was organized to discuss a wide range of topics in presentations and workshops over the course of three days, including:

• Creating more resilient ecosystems that could better adapt to climate change and help mitigate wildfire risks;
• Encouraging forest industry licensees to share their expertise at the landscape level related to wildfire risk mitigation, effective carbon management and improving the resiliency of Crown land over time; and
• Educating the public and local governments about wildfire risk mitigation and the potential impacts of climate change.

Learn More:

Wildfire and Climate Change Conference: www.kootenaywildfire.ca