Robert Gray

Experts say Manitoba needs better forest management practices to mitigate and prevent the devastating impacts of wildfires, but there isn’t a clear consensus on the best course forward, after a season that saw wildfires claim two lives and at least 130 cabins and homes. …The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers has said “suppression alone is no longer adequate” to tackle wildfires, pointing to the benefits of FireSmart Canada and other prevention and mitigation strategies, including controlled and traditional cultural burns. …British Columbia-based wildland fire ecologist Robert Gray argues communities in fire-prone regions aren’t adequately protected — but he says they can become more resilient by treating about 40 per cent of the surrounding landscape to prevent or slow wildfires from spreading into towns. …Gray said provinces must better regulate the forest industry to make sure activities like logging and tree planting are carried out with a focus on fire and fuel management.