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In the Line of Fire

More than 2.84 million hectares of B.C. forests went up in flames in 2023, blanketing the province with smoke, displacing thousands of people and destroying homes and wildlife habitat. It was B.C.’s worst wildfire season on record. 

Against a backdrop of severe and persistent drought conditions, wildfires are increasing in size and intensity as communities race to prepare to face this new reality.

So, what does that look like? This series digs into what is being done to prepare for — and survive — wildfires as the forests continue to burn. From First Nations communities to wildland firefighters, we’ll meet those working tirelessly on the frontlines of this crisis and explore what can be done to lessen the consequences of wildfires in the future. 

In the Line of Fire is made possible with support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC. As per The Narwhal’s editorial independence policy, no foundation or outside organization has editorial input into our stories

Locked out: how a 19th century land grant is still undermining First Nations rights on Vancouver Island

In his childhood, Elder Luschiim (Arvid Charlie) remembers the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers teeming with salmon — chinook and coho, chum and steelhead — so...

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