To prevent future forest fires, investment must be made now

From Sept. 23 to 30, Canada will be marking National Forest Week. Established around 1920 as Forest Fire Prevention Week, the origins were to encourage greater public awareness towards Canada’s forests. At the time, the greatest threat to forests came from forest fires, mainly due to human causes. Since then, National Forest Week, as it was renamed in 1967, has evolved to encompass the many and varied human and environmental aspects of Canada’s forest resources — past, present and future. While much has changed in the last century, one could be forgiven for concluding that once again, the greatest threat comes from forest fires, only now due in large part to climate change. …It’s time for B.C. to start being proactive — not reactive — when it comes to wildland fire. What’s needed is leadership to galvanize action and for all parties to get involved — the province, municipal governments, First Nations, the forest industry and individual citizens.