Would-Be Firefighters Flood B.C. Wildfire Service With Applications

The Canadian Press, 27 Jan, 2016 01:23 PM

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — There is no shortage of candidates to fill the estimated 200 vacant positions expected this summer with the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Provincial information officer Kevin Skrepnek says just under 1,500 applications were received by the Jan. 24 deadline.

He says the number is above average, exceeding applications received in 2015.

But Skrepnek notes submissions usually climb in the year following a busy fire season.

More than 1,800 blazes were recorded during what the Wildfire Service calls a "major" season in 2015, with homes lost in Rock Creek and Puntzi Lake, while total fire fighting costs topped $282-million.

Successful 2016 Wildfire Service applicants must first survive a rigorous interview and screening process before being invited to boot camps slated for Merritt in April and May.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Shooting, Wild Chase Through Surrey Ends With Crash, Three Arrests In Delta

Mounties say a gun was seized from the car, the trio is known to them and charges are expected, but an investigation continues

Shooting, Wild Chase Through Surrey Ends With Crash, Three Arrests In Delta

Advisers Urge Justin Trudeau To Be Innovative In Era Of Dramatic Change

OTTAWA — Federal advisers have told Justin Trudeau he must adopt more innovative approaches to successfully govern in the modern era.

Advisers Urge Justin Trudeau To Be Innovative In Era Of Dramatic Change

The Tie That Binds: Mother Of Missing Manitoba Man Starts Awareness Campaign

Colten Pratt, who is 26, has been missing since November 2014 and Lydia Daniels has spent the last year trying to find him.

The Tie That Binds: Mother Of Missing Manitoba Man Starts Awareness Campaign

Ice Jams Prompt Flooding Concerns For Homeowners Near Smithers, B.C.

Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako chairman Bill Miller says ice has backed up along the Bulkley River, causing water to rise and seep into basements and crawl spaces of some nearby homes.

Ice Jams Prompt Flooding Concerns For Homeowners Near Smithers, B.C.

B.C. Seniors Urged To Learn If They Qualify For Medical Services Plan Subsidy

Isobel Mackenzie says seniors could be eligible for full or partial payments but most are unaware of the available help.

B.C. Seniors Urged To Learn If They Qualify For Medical Services Plan Subsidy

Slumping Loonie Could Add $3.5 Billion To Cost Of Windsor-Detroit Bridge, Trudeau Told

OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government will need to find $3.5 billion more to pay for a new bridge at the bustling border crossing between Canada and the United States.