The provincial fire control room, which co-ordinates forestfire control for the entire province, will be moving from Victoria to Kamloops in time for the 2010 fire season, announced Premier Gordon Campbell today.

"The Provincial Fire Control office is the nerve centre for co-ordination of forest fire control operations for the entire province," said Campbell. "It has worked well being situated in Victoria, but this change will complement the Provincial Air Tanker Centre, located in Kamloops, and support recruitment efforts."

"This move will deliver two key benefits - cost savings and improved staff recruitment," said Forests and Range Minister Rich Coleman. "British Columbia has a world-renowned fire protection service, and this move helps us maintain that status in the face of increasingly more demanding fire seasons and ever-increasing costs."

"The people of Kamloops and the Thompson Valley know only too well the devastation that wildfires can cause," said Kevin Krueger, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson. "We place a high value on the work done by our local fire crews and fire centre, and welcome the provincial fire control room and its staff to this area."

"We have already proven that Kamloops is a good location from which to provide services for British Columbians no matter where they live," said Claude Richmond, MLA for Kamloops. "The provincial Air Tanker Centre has been located here for the last dozen years, and has been a huge success."

The fire control room, along with aviation coordination services and weather forecasting sections, will be co-located with the ministry's other protection facilities at Kamloops Airport. Kamloops was selected as a logical location for the consolidation of services as it already is home to the provincial Air Tanker Centre, and the Kamloops Fire Centre, the busiest fire centre in the province.

Consolidating firefighting co-ordination services in Kamloops will assist the program in moving ahead with key strategic improvements, particularly in staff recruitment and integrated business processes. As well, the consolidation is expected to reduce costs through reduced business travel and rental charges.