B.C. gov't fined $759K by workplace safety agency after death of wildfire fighter

B.C.'s workplace regulator has leveled a hefty fine on the province for two wildfire fighting incidents from 2023, including one where a 25-year-old firefighter died in a vehicle rollover in the northeast.

It’s the second-largest fine issued by WorkSafeBC to the B.C. government related to the 2023 wildfire season, with a $710,000 fine issued last year for unsafe wildfire mitigation practices at a site outside of Fort St. John.

The 2023 wildfire season was the most destructive in the province’s history, when nearly 2,300 fires burned over 2.8 million hectares (28,401 square kilometres) and several first responders died.

“Emotionally challenging,” is how the province described it in a summary on its website , saying 2023 “will always be remembered for the tragic loss of six members