Critic and B.C. Conservative MLA Ward Stamer is calling for the province’s salvage rate of wildfire-burned timber to rise to 25 per cent, arguing that the current process is inefficient and wastes millions of dollars in valuable fibre.
However, a Ministry of Forests spokesperson stated that increasing salvage rates to 25 per cent is "unrealistic" due to concerns about access, merchantable volume, and crew safety.
Stamer emphasized the urgency of harvesting burned timber, noting that it depreciates quickly. He pointed to the 2023 Adams Lake wildfire as an example of significant timber volume yet to be harvested, stating, "We can’t allow ourselves to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in fibre by diddling around."
How quickly does burned timber lose its value?
According to John Drew, president of Woodco Industries, fire-affected wood can remain usable for lumber for approximately two years, after which it can still be used for pulp. Research indicates that as burned wood dries, it can shrink, check, and split. Additionally, fire damage makes trees more susceptible to insect and fungal attacks, further reducing wood quality over time.
Phil Burton, a professor emeritus at the University of Northern British Columbia, noted that the severity of the burn is a critical factor. Moderately burned areas may contain commercially viable timber, while severely burned areas with significant charcoal and charring can be more difficult to process. Low-severity burns might still contain living trees.
Can mills actually use more burned timber?
Woodco Industries can process suitable salvaged timber similarly to green timber for its lumber products. Drew suggested that if more burned timber were salvaged, his mill could reduce its reliance on processing timber from green trees. He believes that the excess logging and sawmill capacity in B.C. could be utilized for processing more wildfire-damaged timber.
The B.C. Forest Safety Council advises that burned wood requires extra care during debarking, and charred wood may pose scanning issues for mills. The province has reported that pulp mills increased their use of wildfire chips from approximately 500,000 cubic metres in 2023 to over one million cubic metres in 2024-25, representing about seven per cent of their total wood processed.
Why not salvage every burned tree?
Burton acknowledged the potential benefit of redirecting some existing harvests from old growth to suitable burned forests, which can also support future timber supply through replanting obligations. However, he cautioned against setting a universal target for salvage, citing the ecological functions of burned forests, such as watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity support. He also highlighted the need to consider the existing logging and wildfire impact on a landscape, as further harvesting in disturbed watersheds could increase risks of floods and landslides.
When does fire-affected wood hit the market?
Drew noted that the approval process for logging burned timber does not seem significantly different from that for green wood, despite the shorter window of commercial value for burned timber. He stated, "What happens a lot of times with burnt wood is it just doesn’t get to the market in a timely way."
The province has recognized that wildfire-damaged timber can be less valuable and more costly to recover. In 2024, it adjusted Interior timber-pricing rules to better reflect these factors.
What is the province doing to salvage more wood?
The Ministry of Forests stated that new salvage cutting permits are issued within 25 days of application, though wildfire activity can affect this timeline. The average yield of wildfire salvage across all affected areas is currently five per cent. Harvesting can commence once fires are extinguished and the B.C. Wildfire Service grants access, provided harvesting machinery does not pose a wildfire risk.
The province also highlighted the Wildfire Salvage Opportunity Agreement, which facilitates agreements with First Nations, allowing them to be directly awarded wildfire salvage rights for up to ten years. There are currently 20 active agreements with First Nations across B.C.
