
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma at a wildfire update on Wednesday/via BC Government YouTube
The BC government is making life easier for people who are forced out by wildfires or other natural disasters.
This includes $200 dollars per night for an individual or family forced from their homes.
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says this money will be sent directly to people via an Interact e-transfer.
“This new e-transfer alternative option will allow people who are evacuated to also make their own decisions on accommodation.”
The money will also be available for those who choose to stay with friends or families, with additional funds potentially available for food and other necessities.
Ma says they government is also opening up a new, easy-access online portal for those forced out of their homes.
“In addition, we are also creating a new, self-service pathway that can be activated by the province during large scale evacuations. This means that during large scale evacuations, evacuees can receive supports without needing to a reception center at all,” said Ma during a news conference Wednesday. “If you are evacuated, you’ll be able to quickly log in to ess.gov.bc.ca to receive instructions on how to access the various supports that are available. This new online, self-service registration option will be activated during large scale evacuations.”
The BC government also says its updating and redesigning the EmergencyInfoBC website to improve user experience, especially on mobile devices
This includes introducing a new easy-to-use share feature, inviting people to share validated and accurate emergency information with their social network, such as X and Facebook.
It comes as part of a broader seasonal wildfire update from the province, which is suggesting the fire danger rating in the Southern Interior this summer is expected to be somewhat normal, thanks to somewhat persistent rains this spring.
“As shown in the BC Wildfire Service’s latest seasonal outlook, some regions of the province, notably the coast and southern parts of B.C., have received increased moisture over winter and spring,” said the BC government in a release. “Other areas, including the northeastern parts of the province, are experiencing prolonged drought and are expected to remain at high risk for wildfire.”