Firefighters' memorial day observed in B.C. after record wildfires and 9-11 anniversary

A firefighting crew is seen in an image shared to the B.C. Wildfire Service Twitter account.

Vancouver -

Flags at B.C.’s legislature are flying at half mast in honour of Firefighter’s National Memorial Day, during a year that saw record wildfires in the province.

In a statement from the premier’s office on Sunday, John Horgan said that recognizing selfless first responders both north and south of the Canada-U.S. border is top of mind.

"Here in B.C., we are coming through one of the most devastating wildfire seasons on record. We have counted on those battling the blazes to save lives, homes and entire communities,” he said.

In addition to the Canadian firefighters who’ve responded to the wildfires, this summer B.C. also accepted help from a crew of nearly 100 Mexican firefighters. The crew, which arrived late July and returned home in late August, was instrumental in fighting the NK’Mip Creek wildfire.

Due to the nature of their work, some firefighters live with complex mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. B.C. has a website that provides mental health resources for first responders dealing with mental health issues. The website also has resources for friends, families and colleagues looking to support a first responder.

In B.C. firefighters are also part of the frontline teams that respond to health emergencies, and firefighters have been instrumental in responding to overdoses during the ongoing opioid crisis.

The 9-11 collapse of the world trade centres, the 20th anniversary of which was celebrated on Saturday, also hits close to home for many in Canada, Horgan said. On that day 344 firefighters went to work and attended the scene but never returned home.

“(Firefighters) are real-life superheroes who run into the danger the rest of us run away from. But to many, they are also a parent, a child, a sibling or a cherished neighbour,” said Horgan in the statement.

“When a firefighter falls in the line of duty, we all feel it - none more so than the family and friends left behind.”

Horgan says his NDP government has made “great strides” to make sure firefighters have access to the compensation and health services they deserve.

He also acknowledged that there’s “much more” the province needs to do on this issue, but did not specify what would be done.

“We also pledge to do more to help the firefighters still with us who suffer from traumas and injuries - visible and invisible. We will honour their sacrifices by working hard to build on the progress we have made," he said.