Bob Simpson

Plenty of work will need to be done to prevent Quesnel from becoming a wildfire victim in the future, according to the community’s mayor. Citing a recent B.C. wildfire management branch report, mayor Bob Simpson said at least 15,000 hectares of surrounding forest will need to be treated. The city of 9,500 people 116 kilometres south of Prince George came close to being evacuated during this summer’s series of massive forest fires. The incidents have renewed a push for more government funding to clear out potential fuel in areas where the blazes could threaten homes and businesses. …But in the decade since Quesnel’s 2007 wildfire protection plan came into play, just 25 hectares of the wildland urban interface has been treated to reduce forest fuels, according to Simpson.