B.C. government fined over $750,000 for workplace safety failures during 2023 wildfire

The British Columbia government has been ordered to pay more than $750,000 in penalties for workplace safety violations linked to two incidents that occurred during the province’s 2023 wildfire season, including a crash that killed a young firefighter.

WorkSafeBC says the fatal incident involved firefighter Zak Muise, who died when a utility vehicle went over a steep embankment near Fort St. John in July 2023. Investigators found that neither Muise nor his supervisor was wearing a helmet and that the vehicle’s safety netting was damaged at the time.

According to a ruling issued on September 25, 2025, the agency concluded that inadequate supervision, a lack of safe work procedures, and insufficient training were all factors in the crash.

In a separate incident the following month, five Brazilian firefighters became trapped by flames during a planned burn operation. WorkSafeBC found that inadequate planning, training, and communication contributed to that near-tragic event.