To the editor,
I want to thank the many, many people and council members who attended the council meeting held on Jan. 28 on short notice.
To clarify for those not present, this was never about “anti-fireguard”. If someone refers to this as a “fireguard” you might consider they have not taken the time yet to become educated – wildfire specialists no longer utilize this term.
Fuel mitigation or shade/fuel breaks. Fire can be managed. There was already in existence a 50-metre wide fuel-break (the power lines) and the pond/marsh area (200-metres wide) on this piece of village-owned owned recreational Land.
Fuel mitigation was necessary and still is necessary for the two areas remaining which contain mature timber. That was and is our science informed position.
Please read the Fire Smart Principles for Communities. This can be found online on the Fire Smart website. And please read the January issue of BC Forest Professional Magazine. This can be found on the ABCFP website. This is about community values, forest value and restorative justice, things that are important to understanding as activity on the land base move back into our urban/rural settings.
As people migrate north and our population expands we will continue to see increasing pressures on the land base. Due process and fairness for the residents and community values impacted… I encourage you to ask what financial resources will now be required to steward this land for the long term as village owners. Ask how does (or better yet - how can) stewardship of this land help the community get closer to, say, an Aquaplex, as one example?
If you would like to learn more, stay in touch or chat about the matter please don’t hesitate to contact the folks at the.evergreen.curtain@gmail.com
Danielle Kidston
100 Mile House