A retired forester is calling for a more proactive approach to wildfires in the province, with a shift from fighting them to preventing them.

His film B.C. is Burning premiered July 22 at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

While the 45-minute film does paint a comprehensive picture of the challenges faced by wildfires, its main focus is a potential solution: active forest management.

Retired forester Murray Wilson pointed to one element of the “fire triangle” that we can actually do something about. Having no control over the summer heat or oxygen in the air, the fuel is something we can control, he said.

“Basically, we need to reduce the fuel risk. If it’s around communities, that means thinning out the forests,” he told the Chronicle.

The 45-minute documentary features a host of scientists and industry professionals, who paint a picture of the changes needed to turn things around in the province’s fight against wildfire. It ends with a call to action, asking viewers to go to the film’s website to learn more and take action by sending letters to leaders in all levels of government.

Wilson is calling on the B.C. government to increase forest thinning and prescribed burning, both of which the province already uses to manage forests, but not to the extent they need to be, he said.

“The process is too long for companies to get approvals, or for anyone working in the forest to get anything done. It takes years and years to get permits and that’s just simply too long. That process needs to be sped up,” he said.

Wilson’s form letter to Premier David Eby points out “siloed conflicting mandates” between ministries like Forests and Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, which delays approvals and action.

He also points to “visual quality objectives” which is a provincial mandate to retain landscape visuals, especially near communities, and open burning smoke control regulation, which he said prevents prescribed burns and cultural fire from being used more often.

Wilson said he’d also like to see the output from wildfires included in climate targets, more access to fibre to support sawmills, pellet plants and bio-energy, which he said will provide an economic boon while also help mitigate wildfires.

Earlier in July, Kamloops city council directed staff to explore the potential of a community forest in Kamloops, in co-operation with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, with the idea being that the municipality could undertake FireSmart-related work there to manage the forest.

While staff have only begun exploring that as an option, Wilson said that path may not relieve the issues he lays out in the film.

“Community forests still have to follow the same regulations we do on the landscape. It’s not a different set of regulations, so they still have to go through all the same processes,” he said.

A number of councillors, including Margot Middleton, Bill Sarai, and Kelly Hall attended the screening. Council will revisit the community forest once staff has prepared a report.

B.C. is Burning will see further screenings in Kelowna in August and more information is available online at bcisburning.ca.