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Premier John Horgan says he and Justin Trudeau are “besties,” but that didn’t stop him for applying some pressure on the prime minister Thursday to squeeze more money out of Ottawa for B.C.

Horgan specifically wants the federal government to help cover some of the costs of last summer’s unprecedented wildfire season.

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“It was a bit of a love-in, I have to say,” Horgan said of his earlier meeting with Trudeau as he spoke to lunch crowd of about 200 hosted by the Urban Development Institute.

“But after the cameras were off and the doors were closed, I spoke candidly to the prime minister and said, ‘You know, we can keep going like this, but you’re going to have to start showing up with a bit of cash.’ He chuckled a little bit and I said, ‘No, I’m serious. You have to start showing up with a bit of cash.’ ”

Last summer’s fires scorched more than 12,000 square kilometres of land and forced about 65,000 people from their homes. The fires destroyed 509 structures in the province, including 229 homes.