(Langley) A report from B.C.’s worker safety agency says the potential dangers of a burning cedar tree were identified but no action was taken before it fell, killing a young female wildland firefighter and injuring two others last summer.
Devyn Gale, 19, was killed when a burning tree struck her during firefighting operations northeast of Revelstoke last July.
“Although the hazard of the burning cedar was reported, no action was taken to eliminate or mitigate the risks,” the WorkSafeBC report dated July 2, 2024, states.
“This is in contravention of regulatory requirements, as well as the procedures outlined in the Wildlife and Dangerous Tree Assessment Course, the Fire Crew Training Standard and Safe Work Procedures [du BC Wildfire Service]. »
The report also claims that firefighters working near Mme Gale “heard a loud cracking noise, like a tree falling,” but their attempts to call her went unanswered and when they went to check on her, she was found on the ground with fatal injuries.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
David Eby, Premier of British Columbia
The WorkSafeBC report states that “there is no evidence that a hazard tree assessment was conducted on the burning cedar tree at the site before workers began their work.”
The report identified six violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and BC Wildfire Service regulations, including failing to provide its workers with adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure their safety, and failing to ensure that activities involving tree cutting were properly planned.
WorkSafeBC states that its mission is “to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths, and to support injured workers through fair compensation and effective rehabilitation.”
Reforms requested
Premier David Eby announced Wednesday that he has directed the BC Wildfire Service to implement reforms identified in the WorkSafeBC report as safety failures in the death of M.me Gale, July 13, 2023.
He added that it was clear something had gone “tragically wrong” and reforms needed to be implemented to ensure workers were supported and given training to prevent injuries and deaths.
“There is no doubt that people who sign up for the wildland firefighting service are signing up for inherently risky and difficult work. But it should never be risky or dangerous because of a lack of training, because a safety concern that someone raised was not addressed in the way it should have been,” the premier said.
Mr Eby said at an unrelated news conference that he had been told “significant changes” had already been made, including to ensure young firefighters “have the protections they deserve”.
Mr. Eby attended M.’s funeral.me Gale last year in Revelstoke, where hundreds of city residents lined up along a procession route commemorating BC Wildfire firefighters and first responders.