Not If But When

By Ben Meisner

If all authorities in this region are not thinking forest fire, they should be, because it is not a case of,”If” but rather, “when”.

The forests in this region are tinder dry and with little moisture on the immediate horizon, a fire similar to that which took place in Kelowna some years ago is a real possibility.

Look at the edge of any main thoroughfare and you will see the dry trees, brush lying on the floor of the forest and in the case of the Harper Valley area, a row of slash several miles long, several years old, and very, very dry.

Add to all this the new buzz of ATV’s and dirt bikes using every conceivable back woods trail in and around the city, and the ingredients are surely there for a major fire.

This kind of fire can come through no fault of the riders, an exhaust leak, a small amount of hot carbon, is all that it would take. Never mind a careless cigarette tossed into the mix.

There is also the matter of the amount of funding available to  remove mountain pine beetle killed trees.  Prince George has  been doing an admirable job of trying to  remove the dead trees, but  the source of  funding is nearly as dry as the forest floor.  The amount of money available for all mountain pine beetle  impacted communities has been greatly reduced.

We may have watched in horror at the goings on in Kelowna, on the other hand have  to take a look at the tree cover in around this city, add to that the dead pine trees, the slash from many previous cuts and no matter how you stack it, we have reason to be concerned, very concerned in this city. 

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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