The MLA for Cariboo North has some serious concerns ahead of this year’s wildfire season despite a funding boost from the province and a pledge for new equipment and technologies.

Coralee Oakes says for two years now firefighters in the massive Cariboo Fire Centre began the season with a shortage of hoses and pumps.

“Our BC Wildfire folks were having to go to industry. Heading into another season I just hope we have got real basic resources that year over year we have seen lacking on the ground.”

As for adopting some new technologies Oakes says she gets it but “you are sending a guy out in a field, or a lady out in a field, with an iPad, some night goggles, and a shovel, and you don’t have basic hoses and pumps?”

Oakes says the fire centre also lacks the manpower to jump on fires early.

“Currently it is not and I get that people pick up the oh look it we have got night goggles and iPads. Well I talked to the crew on the ground who had experiences in other jurisdictions with night goggles. With night goggles first we don’t fly at night right there that is a challenge. In Ontario they used the night goggles and it doesn’t work in smoke.”

Oakes says the Cariboo needs more staffing, more initial attack crews, and more incident management teams.