The B.C. Forest Service turned 100 last year.
So what did our government do to celebrate? In 2016, it laid off 600 forest rangers, closed their ranger stations and turned the management of our public forests over to the timber industry, but did not tell them they were to do it.
The small forest-fire section of the former B.C. Forest Service survived the kill, but what could these few experts do without the large staff of rangers to do the dirty field work? We created a huge problem.
Last year, the private owner of the huge Martin Mars water bomber retired his ancient plane and bought six large, modern airplanes and took them to the Twin Otter factory at Victoria airport to be equipped with large fire-retardant tanks. Thus equipped, these planes are capable of stopping the most troublesome fires.
But are our airports and bush strips properly equipped to serve them and long enough to accommodate these large machines? Is every strip equipped with a good water supply? Are the powerful pumps available and ready to fill the large tanks in seconds rather than minutes? And why are they not fighting our present fires?
Our climate is getting hotter every year, and we are well aware of it. Next year, the forest-fire situation will be worse than this year. Are we getting ready for it? It doesn’t look like it to me.
Edo Nyland
Retired chief forester of the Yukon
Sidney
