Minister, thank you for being here and thank you for having your officials here. I see lots of familiar faces, and it's always good to see your group here to speak with us.
Minister, as a British Columbia member of Parliament yourself, you know that you and I and our province are very concerned about forest fires. My first question is going to be along those lines.
We know that last year, communities across British Columbia were evacuated as we witnessed devastating wildfires, not just in the interior and the north, but even into the Lower Mainland, places where we've not historically seen them, such as on Vancouver Island. It was the worst and most costly wildfire season on record. Canada did a lot to ensure British Columbians were safe then, as did Canada's brave first responders and firefighters.
However, we're looking at another horrible fire season to come. Every indication is that we're on track to have a lot more of our forests burn in the coming summer. Could you take a moment to talk to us about the work that you've done to prepare for this upcoming wildfire season and the work that you've done to support firefighters, those brave men and women who risk their lives to save the resources and habitats that are so important for biodiversity in our province?