Open letter to Government from B.C. wildland firefighters and their supporters.

The 2023 wildfire season was B.C.'s most destructive ever, with 2,217 fires burning nearly 25,000 square kilometres of land. This created an extremely dangerous environment for our brave firefighters, who risked their lives to protect our communities. The 2024 wildfire season is already the fourth-worst in B.C.'s history in terms of hectares burned.

Despite these challenges, B.C. firefighters start at just $27/hr, leading many to work unsustainable overtime or leave for the private sector. Low pay, inadequate pensions, and no hazard pay have created a severe recruitment and retention crisis, making it increasingly difficult to attract and keep skilled firefighters. This must change.

Firefighters deserve fair compensation for the critical role they play. We are calling on the Government to support B.C.’s firefighters and address this crisis by:

• Overhauling wages to ensure fair pay.

• Providing the same pensions as other public safety responders.

• Resolving chronic payroll delays.

Show your support for those who protect us. Join us in calling on the Government to fix the recruitment and retention crisis now.