Here's why the premier says he won't be calling a state of emergency in B.C. over wildfires, at least for now

VANCOUVER -

Despite a plea from municipal officials who say they're struggling to keep B.C. wildfires under control, as well as criticism from the Opposition Liberals, the provincial government will not be declaring a state of emergency at this time.

Premier John Horgan was asked again about imposing such a measure, following a vote from the board of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Thursday, the latest in a series of calls for action.

In a vote of 24-0, a motion was passed by the TNRD board to request the province declare a state of emergency due to wildfires.

"It is so clear, with fires everywhere around us, they are literally surrounding us, that every tool in the toolbox has to be used,” said board chair Ken Gillis Thursday.

The board previously voted down a similar motion brought forward on July 5, but Gillis says the situation has changed since then.

More than 300 wildfires are burning in the province, with almost 100 of them considered to be out of control.

At an update Thursday, officials with the BC Wildfire Service said they don’t have the resources to provide firefighters and aircraft to each new fire.

"We are unable to commit to all new ignitions which means our focus at this point is on allocating those resources to values of life and safety,” said Kurtis Isfeld.

The dire situation prompted TNRD’s call for the province to escalate the situation.

“We think it’s high time the province declared a state of emergency and went to the federal government and said, 'Look, we need all the help you can possibly provide us,'” Gillis said. “Get some armed forces people out here. We are in a crisis situation.”

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs joined those calling for a state of emergency declaration Friday afternoon, saying in a news release that First Nations had been disproportionately affected by the wildfire season so far.

"British Columbians all over the province are extremely anxious and fearful as the wildfires show no sign of slowing down," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC's president, in the release.

"These fires pose an immediate threat to their lives and homes, and although local states of emergency have been called, the Horgan government is refusing to listen to the pleas for a provincial state of emergency that are coming from various regions and towns.”

Three thousand properties around the province are under mandatory evacuation orders, and 10,000 more are on evacuation alert, with residents told to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

At a news conference Friday, Horgan said states of emergency historically have been put in place due to wildfires on the advice of Emergency Management BC and the B.C. Wildfire Service, not because of calls from the Opposition or those in the affected communities.

"I'm absolutely prepared to call a state of emergency when it is required by those professionals that are putting their lives on the line to protect families, property and British Columbia," he said.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm of the official Opposition but again, I think most British Columbians prefer that I listen to the people that know what they're doing, and that's exactly what we intend to do."

Horgan said the only advantage of calling a provincial state of emergency would be bringing more people together, and he thinks those involved at the municipal level have been doing that well already.

The province has been working with the private sector and the federal government to gather resources and manage challenges as they come up, he said.

"If there was a state of emergency called today it would have no impact on resources because they're already in place."

Friday afternoon, the province announced more firefighting resources were on the way. A team of 20 firefighters from Quebec was expected to arrive in the province on Friday, and 100 firefighters from Mexico are expected in B.C. on July 24.

To minimize COVID-19 risk, the teams from Quebec and Mexico will live and work in operational "bubbles" under the direction of the BC Wildfire Service, but separate from local firefighter teams.

When Horgan was asked whether the decision was impacted by the tourism industry, which was hit hard by the pandemic, he denied it had any influence on the decision.

"The tourism industry is not top-of-mind today, the fire season is," he said, referencing that borders aren't slated to reopen to vaccinated American tourists until at least next month.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, B.C.'s longest-ever state of emergency was in place for 10 weeks during the 2017 wildfire season.