Premier Preaches Wildfire Prevention
Premier Christy Clark spoke about the importance of wildfire prevention at the Prince George Fire Equipment Depot today – photo 250News
Prince George, B.C. – Premier Christy Clark stressed the importance of wildfire prevention during a visit with members of the BC Wildfire Service in Prince George this afternoon.
“I think a lot of people in the fire suppression business would tell you that while it’s April, it feels like August,” said Clark, who was joined by around two dozen firefighters in delivering her address. “We’ve had 150 fires so far, we are already three times the average.”
Noting this could very well be the worst wildfire season in three decades, she also reminded everyone that over one third of all the fires started last year were human caused and therefore preventable.
“Which would mean the men and women standing behind me who go into the fires and fight these fires and put their own lives at risk, wouldn’t have to do it a third of the time if all of us were a lot more careful.”
Clark warned anyone who doesn’t comply with a fire restriction that the fine has more than tripled to over $1,100.
She noted guilty parties could also be eligible for up to a $100,000 fine and over one year in jail.
Does she think it will work as a deterrent?
“I think it has some effect. I mean I think all of these things have to work together. I think for most people just knowing that there’s a fire ban that they should be careful.”
But she acknowledges it won’t work for everyone. “Sadly we need to make examples sometime of people who are evading the law and I think those higher fines are part of it.”
Clark also used her speech to remind everyone her government is investing $27 million more every year to prepare for emergencies and fight fires.
As part of this year’s budget, the Province also invested $85 million in the New Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.
According to the government the society “will focus on wildfire risk reduction to complement the ministry’s existing forest stewardship programs and world-class wildfire suppression capabilities.”
Comments
My god she is sexy. We have a total babe for a Premier
Really hope we have a heck of a lot less fires this year. And we can all be proactive talking to people out there in the bush, a little education to those less aware goes a long way.
I don’t what’s hotter: all the forest fires or Christy Clark
Arnold you need to get out more, get glasses, or both.
Haha as far as politicians go she is a 10. She’s “office hot”.
Compared to Maria and his maid she looks almost normal . After a few stiff drinks , maybe ,,, nah . Yuk .
Lol.. Arnold wins the internet tonight..!
I am of the opinion that someone with that much hot air needs a fire crew on standby, just in case she spontaneously combusts.
How many times over the past few years has this “protection”dept changed its name? How much has this cost taxpayers? Bloody ridiculous!
Used to be that if you were healthy and unemployed you were qualified to fight forest fires. Now you are expected to be some sort of superhero making early applications, tests, resume, references, etc. It wouldn’t cost so much to fight wildfires if we would hire normal, healthy, willing, able and available people. There are thousands of unemployed. Some of them would love to fight wildfires but they can’t b/c they are not qualified according to today’s head-up-their-ass requirements. Does anyone remember when the MOF would cruise downtown looking for able bodies to fight forest fires? It was better before.
Those “thousands of unemployed” would be more than welcome to apply, I’d think. There are some contract fire crews out there that are a lot less stringent than the BC government.
Things are different these days because of risk- “back in the day” we used to take a lot of them; nowadays that’s not acceptable. Nobody wants a Yarnell Hill on their conscience.
Yeah, I remember back in the day when it was hot enough that fires were a constant threat, then it was also hot enough that no one was working in the woods and all the MOF had to do was drop into the local pub and they could find a barfull of idle loggers who were fit, strong, and knew the woods. Men like them weren’t a liability out on the hillside. Not so easy to find those kind of folks just kicking around anymore.
I recall them going into the pubs in PG and basically drafting anyone who didn’t have a job into a firefighting job. You didn’t have much of a choice. When you are called to serve the lives and safety of others, you had to step up to the plate and serve. We should continue the tradition in my view.
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