B.C. premier says he will lobby PM to enlist military for wildfire duty

[MJP]

If those PAT Platoons exist at all. CAF recruiting took a nosedive through COVID, theres not thousands of folks waiting for a broken training system anymore. There is, however, tons of reservists from affected provinces who have been promised 4 months of employment. Nothing in the FTSE said it would be jump and door gunner courses for 4 years.

Oh there are still thousands on BTL (8700 or 14% of our manning) waiting to get trained they are just spread out across the country straining base resources. They did away with huge PAT Pls for the most part and generally allow BTL folks to live either at their likely first posting (if they didn't live near a base location), or they work out of the base that is in near were they enrolled. There are some school PAT Pls (Sigs School comes to mind but there are otehrs) still but they are much reduced from there early 2007-2015 days. The general theme is where possible reduce time away from families as we have more older recruits and put people where they will likely be first employed

The knock on effect is that base BTLs are huge and the staffs there were not intended to take on large numbers of untrained folks. Those base BTLs were designed for Subsidized Education and OTing folks which depending on the area can be high (Toronto, Edm,) and the staffing ahs to be pulled from other areas to make it work.

That said recruiting is broken and this year's SIP just like last year's seems to be slipping

 

[medicineman]

C16s and WP rounds?

Why stop at C16's - air bust some 105 or 155mm. Wider swathe and all

 

[PuckChaser]

Oh there are still thousands on BTL (8700 or 14% of our manning) waiting to get trained they are just spread out across the country straining base resources. They did away with huge PAT Pls for the most part and generally allow BTL folks to live either at their likely first posting (if they didn't live near a base location), or they work out of the base that is in near were they enrolled. There are some school PAT Pls (Sigs School comes to mind but there are otehrs) still but they are much reduced from there early 2007-2015 days. The general theme is where possible reduce time away from families as we have more older recruits and put people where they will likely be first employed.

I think in this context, the BTL numbers for the RegF aren't easily accessed. As you mentioned most (I've had a few roll through my shop because their service spouse was posted to my base) are Att Posted to units for OJE. They wouldn't be easily retasked the way freshly employed pers from PRes units that already have leadership taking advantage of that FTSE as well. I'm sure there are RegF BTLs (thinking West Coast RCN schools) that might have formed bodies of individuals, but administratively it'd be easier to dip into the PRes well since the big burden (how do we pay them) is already solved with FTSE.

I'll have to check that SIP link out, very interested in those numbers. Thanks.

 

[MJP]

I think in this context, the BTL numbers for the RegF aren't easily accessed. As you mentioned most (I've had a few roll through my shop because their service spouse was posted to my base) are Att Posted to units for OJE. They wouldn't be easily retasked the way freshly employed pers from PRes units that already have leadership taking advantage of that FTSE as well. I'm sure there are RegF BTLs (thinking West Coast RCN schools) that might have formed bodies of individuals, but administratively it'd be easier to dip into the PRes well since the big burden (how do we pay them) is already solved with FTSE.

I'll have to check that SIP link out, very interested in those numbers. Thanks.

Oh absolutely, I was merely pointing out they still still exist. Largely they are better served continuing OJE at various units than doing some sort of civil service to Canada cleaning up the forests of flammable fuel.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Oh absolutely, I was merely pointing out they still still exist. Largely they are better served continuing OJE at various units than doing some sort of civil service to Canada cleaning up the forests of flammable fuel.

IIRC that fuel was largely already paid for by the taxpayer, and left behind by logging companies, because the regulations have not been changed to require forest licensees (which would effect stumpage rates) to clean up after themselves.

Over 90% of BC's landbase is Crown Land and tons of it is leased out to various users like municipalities, forest companies etc. Therefore, 90% of this problem rests solely at the feet of the Premier of the day and their policy makers. Multiple AARs completed after various big fire seasons have said basically the same thing.

The CAF should not have to cover up for questionable forest management policies in one province.

To employ a somewhat false analogy, that would be like the CAF stepping in to run extended care facilities in Quebec to stop old people from dying faster than they should from COVID.

 

[suffolkowner]

It seems more like it could be tied into a National Service/Emergency Response type of thing to me and not a military response, again other than emergencies. What are logging companies leaving behind and where? Perhaps logging activities could be adjusted to provide firebreaks instead of fueling them? What else other than creating firebreaks around towns can reasonably be expected? BC is a big place with lots of forests it doesn't seem feasible or even desirable to me to engage in some sort of forest/wilderness clean up plan. Some dozers and excavators would be your best firefighters. When you read stories about people throughout the country planting trees in the firebreaks that were established the last season you just have to shake your head as we have to start all over

 

[Brad Sallows]

1. Something must be seen to be done.
2. Preferably paid for by someone else.
3. About average ingenuity for a politician confronted by a problem. No worries about being compared favourably to the great leaders of history for this one.

 

[daftandbarmy]

1. Something must be seen to be done.
2. Preferably paid for by someone else.
3. About average ingenuity for a politician confronted by a problem. No worries about being compared favourably to the great leaders of history for this one.

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC was created, in part, to fund projects like this as a result of recommendations coming out of previous Wildfire Season audit reports. If they want to funnel money and resources somewhere, it should probably be to this organization.

The fact that the Premier thinks the Army should be doing this work suggest to me that he really doesn't know, or care, much about Rural BC (because there are no elected NDP MLA's outside of Urban BC perhaps?):

OUR PURPOSE​

“With support from the governments of B.C. and Canada, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC has been supporting many indigenous groups, local communities, contractors and companies to implement innovative forestry projects that reduce greenhouse gases, protect communities from wildfire, improve wildlife habitat, and create jobs for British Columbians. This work generates immense social, economic, and environmental benefits for British Columbians today, and for our children and grandchildren in the future.”
—Jim Snetsinger, FESBC Chair

The purposes of the Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia are:

1. To advance environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests by:
   1. preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires;
   2. improving damaged or low value forests;
   3. improving habitat for wildlife;
   4. supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low value forests; and
   5. treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases.
2. To advocate for the environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests.
3. To do all such other things as are incidental and ancillary to the attainment of the foregoing purposes and the exercise of the powers of the Society.

Stay up to date on FESBC-funded projects across our province by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About FESBC

Our vision is to enhance forest resilience to wildfire and climate change for the lasting benefit of British Columbia’s environment, wildlife, forest health, and communities.

www.fesbc.ca

 

[Brad Sallows]

Preventing fires is one of the problems. Fires without end, amen.

 

[OldSolduer]

I have a question:

Are deadfall burns still performed? Controlled burns I think they were called.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Yes they are still done, but you have to have the right conditions

 

[ArmyRick]

No

Not even close to something the CAF should be doing. How about enlisting those thousands of environmentally minded university students to do something useful in summer- besides protest stuff?

what’s next- the CAF bringing in the wheat harvest?

Well since the CAF does mind numbing jobs such as fire prevention and wheat harvest, I am resuming haying soon. so how many can I get to help?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Well since the CAF does mind numbing jobs such as fire prevention and wheat harvest, I am resuming haying soon. so how many can I get to help?

The militaries of other totalitarian regimes help out with the harvest too. China leads the way for Canada!

chinese soldiers farm harvesting - Google Search

 

[MilEME09]

US Army Corp of engineers does a fair bit a civil engineering work, so it's not unusual to be doing a standing non military task.

 

[Rifleman62]

Tell BC we don't have Pioneers anymore and let him try and figure that out.

 

[Blackadder1916]

US Army Corp of engineers does a fair bit a civil engineering work, so it's not unusual to be doing a standing non military task.

But there is a considerable difference between the civil engineering missions of the USACE, which are separately authorized, funded and largely performed/managed by its 36,000 civilian employees (or done under contract by private companies) and a request for cheap, temporary labour.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Lot's of unemployed FN youth who can do the fire management stuff and the money can come out of both Federal and Provincial coffers and not DND.

 

[hattrick72]

Lot's of unemployed FN youth who can do the fire management stuff and the money can come out of both Federal and Provincial coffers and not DND.

Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?

What I have noted in BC, that the up and coming young FN's are more connected to the world than their elders and want jobs. This is a problem as the current leadership grew up on the Rights and Title fights, but are not well prepared to create the economic opportunities for their people. This does not make the news, but it's a growing issue for many bands.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?

So they're not at the mercy of chiefs for money.
So they can move on with their lives.
For the same reasons FN youth make use of colonial hospitals and health care.