Devyn Gale, 19, was working at a wildfire in July 2023 when a dangerous tree fell and fatally struck her.
A damning WorkSafeBC report following the 2023 death of a BC Wildfire Service firefighter points to inadequate supervision, training and also a “normalization” of risk within the agency.
"The two standing cedars were identified as being dangerous trees,” reads the report. "Firefighter 2 and Firefighter 4 brought forward concerns about them.” A tree faller who was trained to perform a dangerous tree assessment did not complete any forms or templates for a dangerous tree assessment on July 13, WorkSafeBC found.
One of Gale’s crew members heard a loud cracking noise from the tree and found her. They immediately started first-aid efforts and an air ambulance was called.WorkSafeBC, BC Wildfire Service violations The 21-page report says dangerous trees are an inherent risk to workers in any forestry operation but regulatory requirements were breached in this case.
“This might explain why appropriate steps — as prescribed by the Regulation, the Wildland Fire Safety module, and BCWS’s internal policies and procedures relating to safety and dangerous trees — were not being followed,” states the report, noting the BC Wildfire Service is aware of the safety concerns associated with dangerous trees.
WorkSafeBC found BCWS failed to take appropriate action on an identified dangerous tree. It found six other violations, including failing to provide workers with adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure its workers’ safety, and failing to ensure orientation and training records for young workers are kept.
The minister says the government is “increasing personal protective gear, strengthening training opportunities, improving recruitment, and enhancing access to physical and mental health supports.”
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