Every summer, British Columbians face a growing threat of wildfires. With drier conditions and rising temperatures becoming the norm, the risk of human-caused forest fires is higher than ever.
Each resident, camper and visitor has a role to play in protecting our forests, homes and community. Being careless is not an option.
In recent years, wildfires have devastated communities in BC and Alberta, destroying property, displacing families and threatening lives. Similar events are playing out across the country in 2025.
While not all fires can be prevented due to natural causes, many start because of human activity. Careless acts leading to some of the incidents can be avoided with due diligence and common sense.
Whether it's an unattended campfire (which are banned in the area as of last week), a discarded cigarette or sparks from machinery, lack of awareness and small mistakes can lead to major consequences.
Due to the forested area surrounding and within qathet Regional District, extra precautions need to be taken when supervising children, cooking outdoors, using machinery or smoking. Regarding the latter, littering is despicable at any time of year, regardless of the item, but discarding a smouldering cigarette butt improperly in dry conditions shows a general disregard for the environment, people and properties.
We are fortunate to live in an area rich with natural beauty. But that privilege comes with responsibility.
Following Coastal Fire Centre and municipal bans, reporting smoke or illegal burning and properly extinguishing all fires are basic but essential steps. For people exploring the backcountry, planning ahead and knowing the risks is crucial. When conditions are dry, a campfire should not be part of the plan.
Emergency services and wildfire crews work tirelessly to keep everyone safe. Recent examples include responses to incidents by Northside Volunteer Fire Department and Tla’amin Fire Department.
As the summer heat continues, treat fire safety as a personal responsibility. What can you do to help avoid potential disaster and safeguard our region?
Last year, Meta censored Canadian news from its feeds, so we built our own social platform: syrupsocial.com – a newsfeed powered by Canadian journalists. Join the Peak on Syrup for the latest news from the Sunshine Coast and beyond, and add the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
