B.C. has almost burned through the $204 million budgeted for 2023 wildfire season

Less than a month into summer, the B.C. government has already burned through most of the $204 million budgeted for battling wildfires this year.

Premier David Eby said the spending highlights the massive scale of the province's efforts to deal with an already record-breaking wildfire season, which has seen more than a million hectares burned so far. 

"The federal government has noted that we expect this to be, nationally, the worst fire season in 100 years, and we don't expect British Columbia to be the exception to that rule given where we are right now," Eby told reporters at the annual premiers' conference in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations confirmed an estimated $203 million had been spent on fire suppression as of Monday. B.C.’s budget document notes those costs are contingent on numerous factors, including the length of the fire season and the severity of weather conditions.

In a statement to CTV News, the ministry stressed that the B.C. Wildfire Service "has the authority to spend as required for suppression activity" and that any threats to communities "will be addressed and are not constrained by the budget."

Recent years have seen annual firefighting costs vary widely, swinging from $213.8 million in 2020 up to $718.8 million in 2021. Last year, the province spent $411.9 million battling wildfires.

Eby said his government is seeking more federal assistance, particularly as officials have seen the wildfire situation "rapidly escalating" in recent days. Dozens of new fires were sparked during lightning storms over the weekend, prompting new evacuation orders and alerts. 

"Certainly we're always looking for a strong federal partner to support us in these escalating costs related to climate change," the premier said.

British Columbia is experiencing tinder-dry conditions caused by unusually low amounts of rainfall over the last year.

The lack of rain has also led to unseasonably high drought levels in many regions. On Monday, officials urged residents to take shorter showers and find other ways to conserve water to help prevent drought conditions from worsening.

A spokesperson for the Coastal Fire Centre said that drought conditions that began last year have continued, with coastal areas and Vancouver Island among the driest areas of the province and vulnerable to fresh wildfire starts with a new wave of lightning possible in those areas on Wednesday.

“It would be a really good time for people to pay attention to how they could evacuate themselves if they need to, and that's a good message for anyone who lives near forests,” said Donna MacPherson. “You have to be responsible for your own safety, so pay attention to what's going on around and think about your evacuation route. If you're going to a rec area, make sure you know how to get out of it in more than the direction you came in.”