Opinion: Animals are hidden victims of B.C.’s wildfire season

Why are bears being pushed into areas they have rarely previously been? To answer this question, we must look to the burning landscapes across the province and country, writes Ella Hartsoe. Photo by B.C. Wildfire Service /Government of B.C.

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As wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe, people are increasingly finding themselves crossing paths with wildlife. The connection between wildfires and these wild animals showing up closer to our city centres is easy to miss, but overlooking the cause and effect of wildfires and wildlife encounters comes at a cost for both our communities and the animals that share this province with us.

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British Columbians have seen a steady stream of headlines this summer about wildlife encounters. Nearly any encounter between people and large carnivores can be devastating — typically for both humans and wild animals involved. But the underlying, real story may not be the bears we see, but the kinds of pressures on these bears that we don’t. Many may be asking themselves: Why are bears being pushed into areas they have rarely previously been?

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To answer this question, we must look to the burning landscapes across the province and country.

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Between 2023 and 2025, an estimated eight per cent of Canada’s forests burned. The suffering for animals who live in these ecosystems can be immense. When animals are caught in the blaze, plumes of smoke cause burning throats, stinging eyes that impede sight, and deep fatigue and heat exhaustion just as energy is needed to avoid the threat of oncoming flames. Newborn and elderly animals are trapped. Partial or full body burns cause extreme pain and lethal infection.

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Challenges remain even after the fires die down, as habitat and nesting areas can be ruined and breeding seasons missed. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service warned the public in early September that during the upcoming season of bears preparing for hibernation, natural food sources have been greatly reduced by drought, poor crop, and yes — wildfires.

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Wildfires can burn 10 kilometres of wilderness in an hour. Research reveals that animals escaping burned areas and looking for resources like food can begin appearing more rapidly at the perimeter of suburban and urban areas following these disasters, despite usually avoiding people. This migration leads to more vehicle strikes, more conflict with other animals in new territories, and increased encounters with domestic pets and humans.

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There are ways to better prepare for these wildfires, which we all know will only grow in size and scale in coming years. In B.C., we simply do not have numbers that quantify the scale of wildfire impacts on wildlife, including endangered species. Enhancing data collection, as the Australian government did following its catastrophic bushfires in the 2019-2020 season, could be a start. The government there identified nearly three billion animals hurt or killed by the wildfires and after making that data public, responded to calls for more muscular emergency response plans for animals in future years. Investing in these kinds of responses, along with more dedicated attention to responses like Bear Smart programs, will better prepare us for future fires.