Financial Assistance For Local Governments, First Nations Affected By Wildfire

Disaster Financial Assistance is now pouring into local governments and First Nations in regions that have been adversely affected by wildfires this season.

DFA is available to help community authorities cover disaster-related losses that are not covered by insurance, such as wildfire damage to public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and other publicly owned infrastructure.

With a wildfire season like no other, that includes several communities in 15 regional districts throughout the province.

B.C. has also applied to the federal government for Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), which provides cost-sharing support for wildfire expenses, such as repairs to roads and public buildings, and cleanup.

The province is also encouraging British Columbians, who are able, to donate to trusted organizations such as Food Banks BC, the Canadian Red Cross and the United Way, which are supporting the Province and local authorities in providing assistance to those affected by the wildfires.

For people wanting to help those affected by wildfires, Canada Helps has a list of verified charities responding to the current wildfire situation.   
Yesterday, residents in the Shuswap Region were allowed in to the area to see the damage first hand of wildfires that forced them out three weeks ago.

More than 200 homes were destroyed or damaged by the Bush Creek East wildfire.

There are still dozens of fires burning on Vancouver Island - with about 20 deemed out of control - and most of those in Strathcona Provincial Park.

Yellowknife residents began returning home yesterday when the evacuation order affecting 20-thousand residents was downgraded to an alert.

Essential workers started heading back to the NWT capital on Monday to get things ready for everybody else.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.