Thread by @BCGovFireInfo

“My name is Kyle Young and I am an Incident Commander with the #BCWildfire Service. I am writing this post rather than sharing a video message because, frankly, it would be too emotional for me."

"I am someone that ground crews, my kids, and many other people, look up to for guidance through these challenging seasons. I have been doing this job for 16 years. I am a third generation wildland firefighter, following my father and grandfather."

"I have a long history within this organization and the love I have for this job is what drives me every day, along with the support I receive from my family and co-workers."

"This season we have been tested and we have done everything possible to ensure people are safe." #BCWildfire

"I understand there are other opinions out there that might not agree, but please know, from someone who has only been able to spend six days with his family since June 30th, I can attest to the dedication from every single person who is employed on these fires."

"2021 is different from previous years. We aren’t getting the resources we usually would from other jurisdictions due to the immense fire danger across Canada and the United States."

"Then you throw a global pandemic on top of it, which has impacted how we are able to manage fires and the resources we have available to draw from. We show up to do our best but at the end of the day, we are humans and Mother Nature has the power."

"We need to allow her to do what she needs to do all while keeping everyone safe."

"Again, I understand not everyone is going to agree with this message and I get it, but please know that I am proud of the effort everyone in the organization, the contractors, partners, and anyone else supporting us are making."

"The sacrifices to do this job are ultimately driven by passion, empathy, courage, and a huge amount of integrity. My family, along with hundreds of others, have sacrificed a lot in order for us to go out and help the people of British Columbia."

"We understand the choices we have made in our career. I promise you it is not taken lightly by any of us and we feel proud to be part of this organization."

"At the end of each grueling day, I wonder if everyone is okay. Not only on the incident I’m managing, but those working on other incidents, along with those deeply affected by the devastating wildfires. I wonder if I could have done something different, something better."

"I wonder what tomorrow will bring, will it rain, will I be able to see my family soon, or will I open social media and be inundated with posts from people who speculate on what we do, or worse, what they think we don’t do."

"This season will pass and then everyone can ask questions, we will make adjustments, and we will reflect on what we learned this season. Right now, it’s time for us, as a province, to come together and support each other."

"Help us, help your neighbors, help everyone get through the next six weeks of what has been the most challenging summer."

"It is also the time to remind yourself that when you post something out of anger, frustration, fear, or heartbreak, there are other families out there feeling all those same things and reading your words that may be hurtful."

"Please be kind, stay calm, and know that the BC Wildfire Service is fighting for British Columbia’s safety every single day."

𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺; 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

T𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗰𝗸𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗲𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅; 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗽.

𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀. W𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.