Park Board official urges measures to prevent Stanley Park forest fires

Overnight closure of Stanley Park in Summer 2021 due to extreme forest fire risk. (Shutterstock)

The Vancouver Park Board’s only non-ABC party commissioner suggests the strategies put in place to mitigate the forest fire risk in Stanley Park need improvement.

In a member motion to be discussed next week, Park Board Commissioner Tom Digby of the Green Party is calling for an update of the Stanley Park Forest Management Plan, which was created in 2009 following the 2006 windstorm that destroyed over 10,000 trees in the park.

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He says the plan was created at a time when the summer drought season was not as long nor as dry as what has been experienced in recent years.

As well, according to Digby, the infestation of the Hemlock Looper moth has killed about 20% of the park’s mature forest canopy, which has resulted in more combustible fuel for a wildfire.

“Climate change is driving a record fire season here in BC and in Canada. Since April, huge fires have spread choking smoke across the continent. People who use Stanley Park are aware that it is entering its dry season. Many of us are anxious that Stanley Park could be the next forest to burn,” said Digby in a statement.

“I’m calling on my ABC colleagues to get in front of this issue and make sure staff has properly updated our assessment of risk and taken all possible steps for mitigation.”

A sampling of media reports since the late 2000s show there have been numerous fires in Stanley Park, started by accidental or suspicious reasons — ranging from discarded cigarettes, arsons, and fires by homeless individuals living in encampments inside the park.

During the unprecedented deadly heat wave of Summer 2021, Stanley Park was closed to overnight visitation starting in late July, before being expanded to a 12-hour overnight closure in September following a series of coyote attacks.

According to Vancouver Fire Rescue, the use of ATVs in Stanley Park during the summer are part of the strategy for fire suppression and medical response in areas that are difficult to access for larger vehicles.

And just last week, the fire department received new firefighting vehicles that are specifically designed for fighting wildfires.

VFRS ATV’s are back in Stanley Park for the summer, providing fire suppression and medical response to areas that are difficult to access for our larger apparatus. #stanleypark pic.twitter.com/5yffHeub80

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) May 24, 2023

Delivery today of our new #Wildlands apparatus for ⁦@VanFireRescue⁩ in front of our #hostnations flags in #StanleyPark.

Ready to protect our beautiful parks#ITB
⁦@CityofVancouver⁩
⁦@musqueam⁩ ⁦@SquamishNation⁩ ⁦@tsleilwaututh⁩
⁦@IAFF18⁩ pic.twitter.com/qj6iWIxenI

— Karen Fry (@Karen_Fry) June 28, 2023

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