Why does the B.C. Forest Service use out-of-province fire fighters?
The B.C. Forest Service trains enough fire fighters for an above-average fire season. To train enough fire fighters for the worst case fire season would be a waste of taxpayers money. If the fire workload becomes intense, we can borrow professional fire fighters from other agencies through a national Mutual Aid Resource Sharing (MARS) Agreement. Previously, we used to hire people “off the street” to fight forest fires. These “off the street” people were often un-fit and un-trained. Because fighting forest fires is dangerous and exhausting work, we prefer to use professional fire fighters who are trained, physically fit and properly equipped.
