Robin Gregory

Robert Gray

…In Western Canada, getting ahead of the wildfire crisis is one of these “hard things.” It will take knowledge, political leadership and public support to address its fundamental causes, and to embark on the kind of transformational change necessary to avert a social, environmental and economic disaster. It’s a sharp turn from our current path. …people living in forest-dependent communities are realizing that an important source of economic and social stability is under severe and imminent threat. …a “soft landing” option … means bringing back the open grasslands, retaining the natural hardwood forests, encouraging larger riparian areas, building on the knowledge of Indigenous stewardship and cultural burning… It means managing forests for ecological, wildlife, and social and cultural benefits, rather than focusing on economic profits. …Reducing wildfires and mitigating climate change can be achieved, with innovative and competitive forest and bioenergy industries. …With a mix of political resolve and public support… [Full access to this story may require a subscription to the Globe and Mail]