But experts say the focus on response is accompanied by a lack of 2024-03-18, 7:32 AM Page 2 of 8 measures to address the root causes of the disasters. [...] The fire prevention budget in the Forests Ministry increased by 3.5 per cent to $47 million and the fire management budget was boosted 15.2 per cent to $235 million. [...] McNeil wants to see dedicated funding to support more strategic, long- term approaches to climate response to take stock of human impacts on the landscape from forestry to water infrastructure like dikes. [...] “Resilience and nature-based solutions are the priority,” said McNeil, who has helped lead the development of the strategy with the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. [...] In an emailed statement, the BC Council of Forest Industries said it welcomed the budget’s investments in forestry-related wildfire prevention but remained concerned about declining harvest levels and the wave of mill closures that have followed, and is meeting with the government to “stabilize” the industry’s access to trees in the province.
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