The knowledge and research is there to help reduce the impact severity of wildfires in B.C.

But what is lacking is the government funding commitment and consistent regulations that create pathways for industry buy-in to recover landscape resilience to forest fires.

Many of those solutions were discussed at the Wildfire Coexistence in BC: Solutions Symposium hosted by UBC Okanagan from June 3 to 5.

In the concluding panel discussion of the symposium, Jesse Zeman, executive director of the BC Wildlife Federation, cited that the solutions to combat wildfires and climate change impacts on our natural environment but the necessary regulations and political will are not.

Zeman said dating back to the 1980s, less than one per cent of the provincial budget has been targeted at taking care of the land, while other spending priorities, such as for health and education, have skyrocketed.

"We are not taking care of our renewable resources," he said.

While economic concerns, such as unemployment and high interest rates are blamed for that, Zeman said in the mid-80s interest rates reached the 20 per cent range, unemployment was high and inflation was an issue.

"The impetus to take care of the environment is simply not there," he said.

"What we need is dedicated funding, legislative objectives and top to bottom mandate letters...getting more people engaged in this is the missing piece. "People are not vocal enough. We all need to take care of the landscape even if we don't all agree on how to do that."

Zeman knows first-hand the increasingly destructive nature of wildfires, having seen his West Kelowna house and surrounding property torched in the McDougall Creek wildfire last summer. "All the trees around our house, not one survived the fire. Not one," he said.

"The hillside soil has lost its ability to hold water. It is hard as a rock, like marble, and slippery from the water runoff."

Zeman said reshaping the will of government comes from the power of voting.

"I tell our members (43,000 outdoor enthusiasts) to meet with their MLAs for 30 minutes four times a year, two hours a year out of your life, to express how they won't get your vote without a commitment from government."

He says it remains a huge challenge to overcome, to engage in long-term planning to sustain our landscape while our economy is driven by short-term planning.

Jordan Coble, a Westbank First Nation councillor and president of the band's forest harvesting company, echoed Zemen's sentiments about knowledge of how to coexist with wildfires, saying First Nation elders and knowledge keepers handed down those best practices from generation to generation for thousands of years, and remain a valued source of knowledge that needs to be involved in the land use decision-making process.

Coble said from a First Nation perspective, forestry management is not just about cutting down timber, but also managing the impact of logging on the environment, in particular the impact on water and wildlife.

"I am inspired by the opportunities for collaboration, and the courage of those who step forward and are brave enough to try something new," he said. "We always have advocated for a community approach, pulling together to look after the land and each other the best we can.

"We want a health future for our children...but what does that look like?...how do we sustain our economy with the wildfire mitigation practices."

Those practices included prescribed burning, protecting natural meadows and wetlands, selective rather than clear-cut logging and more stringent development limitations for remaining environmentally sensitive areas to protect against flooding and impacting valued water sources.

Kevin Scott, a conservation fundraiser with RESOLVE Canada, said Canada spends about $100 million a year on forest and landscape mitigation initiatives, but should be spending $3-4 billion a year over the next two decades.

"That number is not static," he said. "It has to grow exponentially."

But with government claiming funding limitations to meet that fiscal demand, Scott said there are alternative sources eager to participate in any significant forest restoration effort across our province.

He said a consultant analysis done for RESOLVE Canada determined there is a global pool of about $1.8 trillion a year that he says can't find projects to support.

"Now not all those funds would come to B.C. but it shows that funds are out there," he said.

Scott said inability to deploy those funds is due to several reasons: Indigenous rights and land title issues; biodiversity benefit limitations; laws and regulations; and enforcement and monitoring.

Scott says B.C. address all those limitation, but too many of those in control of distributing those funds are not aware of B.C.'s landscape mitigation needs from government or private industry levels.

"These people do not know that B.C. is open for business."

Asked at the end of their presentation what is one thing people can do tomorrow to help find solutions, there was a variety of responses from the panelists. Zeman reiterated the need meet four times a year with MLAs.

Coble suggested families get involved in thinking about what is being left for the next generation, to use your influence to take a more active role in forest management and to love water.

Scott said to network with like-minded others, to share ideas and collaborate on finding solutions.