B.C. Government Fined $710K For Unsafe Wildfire Mitigation Work

The province has been handed a more than $700-thousand fine from WorkSafeBC for what it calls unsafe wildfire mitigation work.

In a statement, the Ministry of Forests said that it’s “disappointed” by the situation which involved a subcontractor and not anyone affiliated with the BC Wildfire Service and that it agrees that “process improvements” are warranted.

“Everyone should be able to perform their work safely. We are taking action, working with all contractors and subcontractors to ensure we meet the high standards we always strive to achieve,” the statement said.

Trees were being cut down in Wonowon to prevent wildfire risk, but inspectors found evidence of unsafe cuts, along with the failure to actively monitor work on site.

The BC government plans to appeal the fine while noting that it is reviewing its safety processes,  and procedures surrounding contractors - saying the incident involved a subcontractor.