Thoughts on BC Politics and More

  BC says controlled burns can save communities; but bureaucracy and inaction has hobbled efforts to clear forests of fuel Of all the ways to protect BC communities from increasingly furious wildfire seasons, few have been as widely endorsed as the tactical, controlled use of fire.   Both experts and provincial officials say fire is one of the best ways to clear forested areas of dangerous (and unnaturally large) amounts of dead underbrush and dry vegetation. But by all measures, BC’s governments are failing to meet the moment, leaving the province’s forests increasingly vulnerable not just to fire—but to intense, quick-moving firestorms that can overwhelm firefighters and destroy hundreds of homes ... CLICK HERE for the full story

After failing to take any meaningful action to address the forestry crisis, John Horgan and the NDP are only now getting around to finally asking the federal government for support, something the BC Liberals called for months ago. “ There are steps that the provincial government should have taken months ago, including asking for immediate federal assistance ,” says BC Liberal forestry critic and Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad. “ My concern is that the province waited until ten weeks before a federal election before it finally decided to act. Layoffs and mill shutdowns have been happening for months and the provincial government has done nothing to help workers and their families except ask Ottawa for help at the very last minute .” Calls for action have been coming from all over – INCLUDING the United Way. Excerpt from a letter, to the BC government, by the United Way A month ago, the United Way wrote to NDP Premier John Horgan with an urgent appeal for $3 mill...