2017 wildfire season most expensive in recent memory

Oct 4, 2017 | 2:39 PM

KAMLOOPS — 2017 proved to be the most expensive wildfire season in recent memory.

According to BC Wildfire Service’s Ryan Turcot, provincial suppression costs to date amount to $552 million.

That’s nearly nine times the original budget of $63 million.

“The 2009 fire season was just over $382 million and the 2003 wildfire season before factoring in inflation amounted to just under $377 million which shows how significant this year has been,” said Turcot. “At peak capacity this year the B.C. Wildfire Service was utilizing well over 47-hundred personnel which is a significant amount to have during a wildfire season.”