Downtown Victoria was alive with drums, bagpipes and heavy footfalls on March 3, as over 500 sombre firefighters from across the province marched along Belleville, Government and Superior streets.
The parade culminated on the Legislature's south lawn, where elected officials and members of the British Columbia Firefighters’ Association gathered to commemorate 27 firefighters who died in the line of service last year.
“To the families of the fallen, we extend our deepest sympathies and gratitude. Your loved one’s courage and commitment will never be forgotten, and their legacy lives on in the communities they serve,” said B.C. Fire Service chaplain Jef Young. “To the firefighters present today, we honour your dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.”
The ceremony took place next to a bronze firefighter statue installed in 2013, where the BCFFA unveiled a new plaque to honour wildland firefighters.
“Our communities and problems rely on the work of wildland firefighters more than ever, and today we pay special tribute to their extraordinary bravery,” said Premier David Eby.
Speaker of the House Raj Chouhan expressed a similar sentiment.
"The increased ferocity of forest fires in past years has sadly claimed too many lives in British Columbia," he said. "Our communities and problems rely on the work of wildland firefighters more than ever, and today we pay special tribute to their extraordinary bravery and sacred fire among those we honour."
Among the firefighters celebrated was Devyn Gale, a 19-year-old who died after she was struck by a falling tree near Revelstoke in 2023.
"I'm so grateful to ... the Gale family for your work and know that you are one family among tens of thousands in the province that see their loved ones charge into danger – danger that might show up that very day or years down the road. Your sacrifice is seen and celebrated by all British Columbians," said Eby. "And thank you to those families who made the ultimate sacrifice for British Columbians, who have lost loved ones – words will never be enough to make up what your families have given us."
