Wildfires are a human rights issue that is here to stay, and the threats they pose to the rights to life, security, and health are not experienced equally, according to a new report.

Through the haze: A human rights perspective on wildfires in British Columbia, published Tuesday by the province’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, says geography, income, age, disability, and Indigeneity all play a part in how groups cope with wildfires.

As well, where one lives — with rural and remote communities feeling the effects to a disproportionately high degree — plays a significant role.

The report calls for greater empowerment and participation by people most affected by the blazes in terms of decision-making about how B.C. prepares for and responds to wildfires.

“Working from the understanding that we must coexist with wildfires, a human rights lens shifts attention toward how governance can better protect rights, reduce inequities, and support the capacities of those most impacted,” the report said.

“Governance should also draw on the deep expertise of Indigenous and local communities to reduce negative impacts from wildfires.”

Inequalities need to be addressed at every stage of decision-making, from preventative forest stewardship practices to emergency response, it says. As well, climate change needs to be considered.

“Climate change and land-management decisions influence wildfire behaviour, while inequality, discrimination, and colonialism shape who is most exposed, who is most affected, and who has the greatest capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire,” it said.