Wildfires impact everyone, and that includes livestock, and with the season creeping up the province is asking ranchers and farmers to protect their animals.
Registration of livestock in BC is free and confidential, and the province says when livestock are registered it helps emergency responders reach animals faster so they can prioritize assistance during evacuations.
Minister of agriculture and food Lana Popham says it’s critical to register livestock, so responders have the most up-to-date information in the event of a wildfire.
“Ranchers and farmers are deeply committed to the well-being of their animals,” Popham says. “By registering with Premises ID, they ensure emergency responders have access to fast and accurate information.
“It provides critical support and peace of mind when every second counts.”
The past season has brought a lot of improvements in the way crews deal with evacuations and the province says they’re going to keep improving response times and how they roll out alerts, meanwhile, BC Cattlemen’s Association general manager Kevin Boon says communication and co-ordination is the keystone for making improvements.
“Premise ID has become a cornerstone of our communications and co-ordination for livestock welfare and movement,” he says. “Making sure your movement is registered is one more way to help us help with things like the Ranch Liaison and Range Rider programs.”
There are already 10,000 ranchers and farmers registered with Premises ID and is mandatory in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
