In BC, wildfire season brings a sense of anxiety. We brace for evacuations, smoke advisories, and footage of scorched landscapes. For many, wildfire represents disaster. It’s something to avoid, suppress, and fear. But fire is part of the land’s natural rhythm. And in many places across the province, it’s not just natural. It’s needed.
Healthy forests in British Columbia have always lived with fire. Before roads, cities, and suppression policies, fire would regularly sweep through grasslands, valley bottoms, and dry interior forests. Some fires were sparked by lightning. Others were set intentionally by Indigenous communities who understood the need to rejuvenate that land and knew that fire, used properly, was good for wildlife and for the land.
In recent years, fire suppression and the loss of cultural and prescribed burning practices have changed that cycle. Instead of regular, low-intensity burns clearing forest undergrowth, fuel has been left to build up. That means when wildfires do break out, they burn hotter, faster, and are harder to control. The result is more frequent evacuations, more intense fire behaviour, and more risk to both communities and ecosystems.
Why Fire Matters
Fire is more than a destructive force. It’s a tool of regeneration. In many ecosystems, certain plants only germinate after fire. Shrubs and berry-producing species respond strongly after a burn, giving wildlife essential food. Species like the lodgepole pine have cones that open only under high heat, designed to take advantage of fire’s timing and aftermath. And when open forests are cleared of thick underbrush by fire, animals like elk, deer, and bears have more plants and berries that they need to survive.
Without fire, many of these landscapes grow unnaturally dense. Fuel builds up on the forest floor. When lightning or human-caused ignition does strike, the result is larger and more intense wildfires that are less manageable for the Wildfire Service.
Cultural Knowledge: Fire Was Never the Enemy
Long before fire suppression became government policy, fire was part of traditional land care. Indigenous communities across BC have long used fire in what’s often called cultural fire.
These are intentional, seasonal burns carried out when conditions are right, when temperature and humidity make fire easier to manage. Cultural fire is part of many Indigenous nations’ relationship with the land. It helps restore native grasslands and vegetation, open up forest canopies, and support a wide range of wildlife species. It’s not just a practice; it’s a way of caring for ecosystems and reducing wildfire risk.
With the recent wildfire disasters, this knowledge is being recognized again. Not as historical curiosity, but as living practice. Some Indigenous-led cultural fire programs are already underway in parts of BC, and more are being developed in partnership with governments and conservation groups.
Fire as a Recovery Tool
Prescribed fire—low-intensity burns carried out in controlled conditions, is one of the most effective tools we have for ecological restoration.
It can:
- Reset degraded habitats
- Improve forage for wildlife
- Remove invasive species
- Reduce fuel loads to prevent large-scale wildfires
- Encourage the return of native plant species
Many species benefit from fire. Grizzly bears forage in post-burn areas for roots and berries. Birds like woodpeckers return to burn zones to nest in standing dead trees. Fire doesn’t destroy these ecosystems. It restarts them.
Learning to See Fire Differently
When a wildfire rages close to homes or communities, fear is natural. But not all fire is the same. There’s a difference between high-intensity wildfires fueled by decades of fire suppression and low-intensity burns that mimic natural cycles.
Seeing prescribed fire as a recovery tool means shifting our mindset. It means recognizing that not every blackened tree is a sign of loss. In many cases, it’s the start of something new.
This isn’t to dismiss the real harm that wildfires can cause. People lose homes. Wildlife is displaced. Smoke affects air quality across the province. But as we respond to those challenges, we also need to make space for the role of fire in healing damaged ecosystems.
Looking Ahead: How We Can Support Fire-Ready Forests
Prescribed fire isn’t a cure-all. It’s one of many tools in BC’s conservation toolkit. Habitat protection, responsible recreation, forest reform, and species recovery plans all matter.
But prescribed fire is an important one to restore habitat.
When used thoughtfully and in collaboration with Indigenous knowledge holders, prescribed fire can reduce long-term risk and build healthier landscapes. As climate pressures mount and BC’s forests become more stressed, it’s not enough to protect what’s left. We have to help it recover.
Here’s how readers can support this shift:
- Learn about cultural burning. Many Indigenous nations are leading efforts to bring back these practices. Understanding history helps build respect for the people and the ecosystems involved.
- Support fire education. Fire is complicated. Encouraging friends and neighbours to understand the difference between good fire and bad fire is a step toward better policy.
- Stay informed during fire season. Following local fire bans and restrictions helps protect areas where fire is not appropriate.
- Back conservation initiatives. Groups working to restore habitat, like Who Cares BC, recognize the value of prescribed fire as part of the recovery puzzle.
Conclusion: Finding Hope in the Burn
Every summer, BC faces the reality of fire. Some of it will be destructive. But some of it can be healing, if we let it.
Fire, used carefully and guided by knowledge, doesn’t just reduce risk. It makes room for life to return. Shrubs sprout. Wildlife reappears. Landscapes recover.
By embracing fire as a natural tool instead of only seeing it as a threat, we can move toward a future where BC’s forests are more resilient. And where wildlife has room to thrive.
In a province shaped by fire, perhaps the most powerful thing we can do is learn to work with it.
