Fires force B.C. forestry workers out of woods
Last Updated: Thursday, August 19, 2010 | 1:31 PM PT
CBC News
The Corkscrew Basin fire is one of many that have driven forest workers away from their jobs. (B.C. Forest Service) Up to 300 forestry workers in Northern B.C. have been pulled off the job due to extreme forest fire risk, as fires in the area burn across 20,000 hectares of forests.
Canfor spokesman Dave LeFebvre said the safety of workers is the number 1 priority, as a storm front moving through the region threatens to ignite more fires with lightning strikes.
"We were looking at the weather that we were expecting over the coming days — the cold front generally means that there will be wind and when it comes to fire, wind is not a good thing," said LeFebvre.
"So as a precaution and with safety in mind, we made the decision to pull our crews for the time being."
It's possible hundreds of other Canfor workers in other regions of the province could also be pulled from the woods, said LeFebvre.
"At this point it's a wait and see situation," he said.
During the work stoppage, those workers who are on contract won't be receiving any income, he confirmed.
After six weeks of hot dry weather more than 70 per cent of B.C. is rated at extreme or high fire risk, and there are more than 270 active wildfires burning throughout the province.
Hundreds of residents have been forced from their homes by evacuation orders, and hundreds more have been warned to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
Officials with the Ministry of Forests are asking the public to avoid travelling, camping or hiking in the backcountry because of the risk of getting caught in a rapidly moving fire.
