WATCH: BC Conservatives unveil Wildfire Action Plan

The BC Conservatives released its Wildfire Action Plan on Friday, committing a new government to more prevention work, faster coordination during emergencies, and a provincially owned firefighting aircraft fleet.

Speaking in Summerland on Friday, Leader Lorne Doerkson said wildfires have burned more than seven million hectares over the last decade, at a direct cost of more than $5 Billion — with higher indirect costs to health, tourism, wine and forestry.

The plan would stand up a Wildfire Response Cabinet Committee, chaired by leader Lorne Doerkson himself, to implement the measures and coordinate with municipal leaders and emergency responders ahead of summer 2027.

A $400 Million aircraft commitment would put down payments on new aerial capacity, including water bombers, to create a BC-based crown fleet that would supplement existing contracted operators. The party says the planes would be leased out in winter to help offset the cost, and that current contractors would still be supported so they remain available before and after the new fleet is in service.

A separate $100 Million Wildfire Innovation Fund would pay for early detection, monitoring, suppression and prevention technology developed and procured in BC.

On the ground, a "community protection forestry" program would set aside a share of timber allocation to treat high-risk Crown forests near communities, First Nations, evacuation routes, watersheds and critical infrastructure. The party says the time per recovered would help pay for the work. Controlled burns would move to multi-year approvals for lower-complexity and recurring projects, with annual reporting on hectares treated.

The plan would also entrench mutual-aid standards, so woodland and structural firefighters can support each other more easily. This is building on an existing agreement between the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC and the BC Wildfire Service—it would also back a national fire administration.

"The true cost isn't measured on a government balance sheet," Doerkson said of wildfires and response efforts. "The true cost is measured in the fear of a mother who has to pack her children into a car while ash rains down on her windshield."