Behind the firefighters battling what is B.C.'s most destructive wildfire season is an army of more than 1,400 contracted support staff.
Posted: Aug. 6, 2023 1:00AMA firefighter works at the Ross Moore Lake wildfire south of Kamloops, B.C., in this July 28, 2023 handout photo. The days of fighting wildfires are long and exhausting, so when crews return to camp, the last thing they want to do is search out a place to sleep or find something to eat.
Her job, she explained, is to ensure the camp runs smoothly, that fire crews have all their essential needs met and are as “comfortable” as possible when they finish a shift on the fire lines.The small camp has a staff of about eight workers, which includes a chef, cooks, a health staffer, a janitor, a maintenance worker and a designated sandwich maker whose sole job is to ensure each firefighter is equipped with about four sandwiches per day.
“If you want to keep them motivated, high morale and keep them working, you’ve got to try to be able to support them where can,” he said in an interview. In a social media post last month, the BC Wildfire Service highlighted the contracted staffers it said play “critical” roles in the provincial fire fight.
At the Takla camp, Callihoo said most firefighters sleep in tents, but working showers, washrooms and a workable kitchen equipped with a dining area are set up on site.
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