Climate change is impacting Canada so seriously, and the challenges in terms of wildland and forestry firefighting is so great, that it is time for a national forestry firefighting organization.
Last year was the worst wildland and forestry firefighting year in Canadian history. In total, forty six million acres burned across all ten provinces and the territories.
This year, it could well be worse, with the season starting a month and a half earlier than in 2023.
Instead of having to reinvent the firefighting organizational wheel every season, it makes sense to have a single agency with all of the countries considerable resources placed in fire bases from May through October.
Canada has approximately 5500 forestry firefighters across the country and approximately 108 helicopters and water bombers, but it is not enough.
In order to have all of these resources available at one time, there needs to be a national firefighting agency developed that can respond immediately to threats as they arrive. Strategic management of tactical resources, based on a joint strike force of experts that would prioritize where and when resources were allocated, and in what numbers, is necessary.
Canada must also increase its resources substantively, based on the known threat that climate change, desertification and wildfire place on existing resources nationally.
There is a real need for a national strategy on the creation of community firebreaks and the culling and removal of deadfall in proximity to population centres, both municipal and on native land.
Without major changes, Canada will see more towns and cities burn from wildland activity caused by climate change, pest infestations, and increased storm activity and electrical storms.
Fort McMurray, Slave Lake, Jasper, Lytton, West Kelowna, are but the canaries in the coal mines of forestry disasters to come.
As a former Fire Chief/Emergency Manager for communities in Alberta where the risk was, and remains, extremely high, it is time for a new national strategy and the acquisition of new resources and capabilities, including ground assets like large bulldozers and similar equipment to create firebreaks in reasonable time during emergencies, — but to also create extensive firebreaks around the most endangered communities at risk when the firefighting season ends.
These should be full-time employees of a national agency.
Time is of the essence.
Climate change is worsening rapidly, permafrost is melting and fires are now becoming a regular occurrence in the Arctic and Canada’s northern territories, exacerbating known hazards and the release of massive amounts of CO2 and methane, hastening climate change.
It’s past time to act.
Leave a Reply