The Chief Administrative Officer of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, who is on the Premier’s expert task force on emergencies, is hoping to share the perspectives of thousands of area residents who have been impacted by fires and floods in recent years.

Scott Hildebrand tells Radio NL it was important for the TNRD to have a seat on this task force.

“After the significant fires of 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, and even 2003, we have the experience and knowledge and I think we need to be there,” Hildebrand said, on NL Newsday.

“That is kind of the take I’m going with, and I will be leaning on our Board of Directors and our EOC staff for that input and information because I think its important that we’re at the table.”

Hildebrand will be joined by Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, and Adams Lake Indian Band Kukpi7 Lynn Kenoras-Duck as three Kamloops-area representatives on the 14 member task force. They’ll have to provide “action-oriented recommendations” ahead of the 2024 wildfire season.

He tells Radio NL he has heard the concerns about the make up of the task force raised by both the BCGEU and Barriere mayor Ward Stamer.

BCGEU Treasurer Paul Finch told Radio NL they’re concerned by the lack of front line wildfire personnel on the task force, while Stamer says there are no locally elected officials and no representation from the Forest Industry on this task force.

“I haven’t heard any next steps at all as far as when the meetings are and how its going to flow, but I would hope that there would be two way communication for sure,” Hildebrand said. “We’ve had thousands of TNRD impacted over the years, and there are stories that we need to share, and hopefully fix going forward.”

“I just want to be able to take our experiences and our first hand knowledge and try to come up with ideas and solutions. We spent a lot of time as an EOC together and we talked about ideas and solutions that may work and now is the venue to move this forward and come up with some of those solution.”

Among the things the group will be tasked with includes enhancing BC Wildfire Predictive Services’ technology, planning to incorporate local volunteer resources for wildfire response, and improving the integration of rural and municipal fire departments into the BC Wildfire Service’s response plans.

“It is certainly a tall task for sure but I do know that we’ll do our best to get through it, and do our best to provide some ideas and solutions based on our experience and knowledge,” Hildebrand said.

The task force will work within the scope of:

• enhancing BC Wildfire Predictive Services current technology, including the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies;
• planning for incorporation of local volunteer resources for wildfire response;
• improving integration of rural and municipal fire departments into the BC Wildfire Service response in the wildland urban interface;
• updating the Wildfire Emergency Response Strategy for B.C.;
• strengthening community participation in all disciplines of FireSmart;
• expanding opportunities in wildfire prevention programs;
• enhancing Evacuees Registration Assistance (ERA) tool to provide fully digital support for evacuees;
• modernizing community delivery of emergency support services, including post-wildfire support; and
• identifying opportunities to assist First Nations and local authorities improve evacuation orders and alerts awareness and compliance