Two months is about how long it takes to fully train new wildfire fighters, according to Sebastian Kallos, chairperson of the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) Local 2003, which represents many staff with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS).
But this year, by the time of the annual firefighter intake in May, Kallos says out-of-control wildfires had already sparked — and have been burning ever since.
“Those people are basically going out without time to adjust to the job — without some critical experience they would otherwise get, if the fire season had not started so early,” he told CBC News, noting that while new
