The Department of Natural Resources estimates the true costs of wildfires may run to the billions, including expenses like lost timber fees and declining tourism receipts.Staff for the first time attempted to calculate the cost of a random selection of forest fires — and in the same report cited “climate change,” “population growth” and fire mismanagement as the main causes, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“This is a necessary first step to fill a significant gap in tools for decision-making around wildfire prevention and mitigation investments and risk assessments,” wrote researchers..Parks Canada slashed fire budget before devastating Jasper wildfire .Specifically, the accounting framework and extreme wildfires studied here contribute to the development of a comprehensive database of the economic damage associated with wildfires in Canada.The department’s report compiled costs from direct firefighting expenses and insurance losses to the value of lost timber, “reduced crop production due to degraded soil,” “smoke-related health impacts” and increased risk of subsequent flooding or landslides.“There are numerous gaps in our understanding of wildland fire and its associated impacts in the area of socioeconomic analysis,” said the report, which estimated direct and indirect costs of extreme wildfires in Western Canada..Records show Parks Canada left 154,000 acres of dead pine in Jasper before devastating fire .Researchers calculated the true costs of five disastrous fires, all west of Ontario.“The number of wildfires causing significant losses is increasing in the western part of North America,” said the report.“This increase is attributable to climate change, historical fire management and demographic and socioeconomic changes.”The 2016 Fort McMurray, AB, fire cost $7.2 billion including more than $4 billion in insurance payouts on 44,094 claims for damaged homes, businesses and vehicles, “one of the largest insured losses in Canadian history,” said the report. More than 88,000 residents were evacuated.A series of 2017 fires at Cariboo and Thompson-Nicola, BC, cost $1.86 billion including insurance losses of $132.5 million and destruction of a million hectares of forest, “nearly 2% of the forested area of the province.”Lost stumpage fees were put at $302.9 million while tourism revenues fell 70%.The cost of fires in northwest BC in 2018 was estimated at $1 billion. Six thousand people were evacuated and five lumber mills temporarily closed. Provincial disaster relief cost $331 million.A 2015 La Ronge, SK, fire cost $198 million, said the report. It burned 1,720,000 hectares and prompted smoke alerts in more than 50 communities. The value of lost timber royalties was put at $12.7 million.And a 2014 fire at Kakisa in the Northwest Territories that burned 3,400,000 hectares was valued at $89 million. Property losses were mainly “cabins, camps, lodges and homesteads,” wrote researchers..Federal analysis suggests farmers would flourish as climate changes — contrary to alarmists.Climate change provided only a partial explanation for the costly fires, said the report.“Evidence suggests past fire management has contributed to an increase in biomass across many forested landscapes, fostering faster-moving larger and hotter wildfires,” it said.“With a significant presence of critical infrastructure, communities and industrial activities within wildland areas, the risk of potential impacts from wildfires is increasing.”“In a changing climate with continued population growth and land development, more frequent events are possible.”
