B.C. government fined $759,000 following death of wildfire firefighter

The employer ‘failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety’

WorkSafeBC has issued a fine of $759,000 against the British Columbia government following the death of a young wildfire firefighter and a separate incident that endangered five others.

The fine stems in part from the death of 25-year-old Zak Muise, a firefighter with Bigcat Wildfire, who was killed in July 2023 when his all-terrain vehicle rolled over a steep drop while battling the Donnie Creek wildfire — the largest ever recorded in the province.

WorkSafeBC’s investigation revealed that neither Muise nor his supervisor was wearing a helmet at the time, and that critical safety equipment, including a passenger seatbelt and retention nett