Canadian Council of Forest Ministers

The Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy (CWFS) Declaration provides a shared vision and common set of principles for wildland fire management in Canada. It was developed as a result of a comprehensive review conducted jointly by provincial, territorial, and federal governments over the past several years. A major catalyst for this initiative was the 2003 forest fire season in western Canada during which hundreds of homes were lost, tens of thousands of people were evacuated, personal property damage totalled in the hundreds of millions of dollars and record expenditures of close to $1 billion were required to suppress the fires. Wildland fire management professionals in Canada also recognize the need to increase fire suppression efficiency and to increase proactive risk mitigation and preparedness and recovery activities.

Developed under the auspices of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, the CWFS Declaration stresses the need to address the growing threat that wildfires pose to human life, private and public property, and our vital forest sector.

The Strategy continues to build on the long history of intergovernmental cooperation within the wildland fire management community in Canada. Ministers, deputy ministers, and their respective officials are committed to working together on a common agenda that addresses both the symptoms and root causes of current and future wildland fire challenges.

Canada’s Forest Ministers, in consultation with partners and stakeholders, are committed to developing joint, cost-shared, proposal driven funding initiatives that could represent significant investments over the next 10 years. Next steps involve completion of the implementation plan that would provide for collective and/or bilateral agreements among governments for initiatives tailored to regional priorities. For example, immediate needs such as the replacement of aging aircraft and equipment will be targeted. There will also be a stepped-up recruitment and training program to create the next generation of professional fire management staff, including capacity building amongst Aboriginal peoples and in rural communities. The Strategy will include extensive public awareness activities, the implementation of FireSmart land-use planning and development guidelines for homes and communities, and the appropriate management of forest fuels in high-risk areas to create safer communities and healthier forest ecosystems.

The development and application of new science and technology will foster a pan-Canadian early warning and wildfire monitoring systems as well as better predictive models. It will also serve as the basis for regularly updating policies and practices according to the most recent findings and knowledge. All of these actions will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of wildland fire management.

Free copies of the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy Declaration are available at cleger@nrcan.gc.ca, or by mail at:

Canadian Council of Forest Ministers
c/o Natural Resources Canada
Canadian Forest Service
580 Booth Street
Ottawa , Ontario, K1A 0E4

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For more information, media may contact:

Canada ― Natural Resources Canada (613) 992-4447

Ontario ― Ministry of Natural Resources (705) 945-6735

Quebec ― Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (418) 627-8609

Nova Scotia ― Department of Natural Resources (902) 424-5239

New Brunswick ― Department of Natural Resources (506) 453-2614

Manitoba ― Department of Conservation (204) 945-0516

British Columbia ― Ministry of Forests and Range (250) 387-8486

Prince Edward Island― Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry (902) 368-5286

Saskatchewan ― Saskatchewan Environment(306) 787-5796

Alberta ― Sustainable Resource Development (780) 427-8636

Newfoundland and Labrador ― Department of Natural Resources (709) 729-5282

Yukon ― Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (867) 667-8065

Territories Northwest ― Department of Environment and Natural Resources (867) 873-7379

Nunavut ― Department of Environment (867) 975-7700