Lately, I have been reflecting on the practice of forestry and how some long-held beliefs that influence it have changed over time. For instance, look at how the industry has historically viewed red alder as a weed species. …Another example is the perspective that commercial thinning is an uneconomic practice in BC. Last May, I visited recently thinned sites near Prince George which were cash positive. Other treatment objectives for thinning such as for wildfire mitigation are now becoming just as important or more so than financial returns. As I have learnt more about wildfire resiliency of late, my perspectives on other conventional standards are changing as well. …Indeed, almost one hundred years of active fire suppression in BC’s forests has led to more conifers. We are also learning that exclusion of fire from our provincial forests has ironically actually made them more vulnerable to fire.
Now as we are adding old growth deferrals, 30×30 protected areas, Indigenous Protected Conservation Areas and other areas set aside for protecting biodiversity by excluding human activity, are we proliferating yet another belief that needs to be challenged? Many of these areas are just as likely to succumb to wildfire, defeating the purpose of their original protection. The Forest Practices Board said in their June 2023 special report on wildfire that “…unmanaged reserves are especially vulnerable to burning because of the amount of forest fuels that have accumulated over time.” Given the reality of an increasing wildfire threat, traditional beliefs on conservation need to shift from “preserve and walk away” to one which embraces active forest management in these areas. A new vision could be one where a sustainable forest industry consumes fibre collected from fuel reduction treatments to ensure enduring conservation values across the landscape, no matter the designated land use.
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It’s something you’d think you wouldn’t have to remind people about after years of devastating wildfires. Yet, some motorists are still throwing cigarettes out their vehicle windows. A Kelowna man says he confronted people in a car along Clement Avenue Sunday night who were tossing cigarettes out the window. “They were smashing their butts on the side of the car and embers were floating around on the ground.” He reported the incident to police and he’s not alone in his vigilance. The Kelowna RCMP told Castanet that since July 1, 2024, there have been five files generated from members of the public reporting cigarette butts being tossed from a vehicle. WKFR chief Jason Brolund notes it’s not just cigarette butts. They get calls almost daily about things like campfires on the beach or in someone’s backyard. …The fine for throwing a cigarette out a car window in B.C. is $575.
At its May 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The amendments relate to 
B.C. officials said the wildfire situation in the province is “rapidly evolving,” telling residents they may see more evacuation orders and alerts in the coming days. There are currently around 430 active wildfires, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service… and round 60% of them are considered by the service to be out of control. …”This past week has been difficult for many people and communities, and we are expecting more challenging days ahead,” B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said. Ma encouraged residents who have to evacuate to call their insurance provider once they’re safe and outside the evacuation order area to understand how they’ll cover living expenses. …On Wednesday, stormy weather is expected to continue in the north, and the Interior is forecast to keep seeing strong winds. …Canada will also be receiving firefighting help from Mexico and South Africa, Sajjan said, in addition to crews that have already arrived from New Zealand and Australia.
EDMONTON, Alberta — Jason Saovord, his girlfriend, their kids and his girlfriend’s sister rolled into Edmonton early Sunday morning, having travelled hundreds of kilometres from northern Alberta to stay in a hotel for shelter. They are among thousands of people from Little Red River Cree Nation fleeing the Semo Complex wildfire, a group of out-of-control wildfires in the High Level forest area. An evacuation order was issued Saturday afternoon, as one of the fires encroached about two kilometres from Highway 58 — the one thoroughfare in the area. …Little Red River Cree Nation, which has about 5,500 members, is made up of three communities: Fox Lake, Garden River and John D’Or Prairie. Garden River was evacuated last week due to the wildfire, but the Alberta Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation order for Fox Lake and John D’Or Prairie around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. …There are about 7,500 wildfire evacuees in Alberta. 