It91裸聊视频檚 striking what a shift from opposition to government can do for a politician91裸聊视频檚 understanding of the world. Premier John Horgan demonstrated this again during his obligatory television tour with federal politicians in fire-ravaged northern B.C. last week.
As usual, hurried reporter questions set the agenda, after Horgan expressed his sincere appreciation for the hard-working people on the ground who were briefly interrupted by his visit.
Since everything has to fit into 10-second sound bites these days, we got the usual nonsense about how the arbitrary B.C. budget line item for wildfire control is far below the amount actually spent in dry summers like this year and last year. Would an accounting change help? No.
Then there was the ritual invocation of the 91裸聊视频渘ew normal,91裸聊视频� this year91裸聊视频檚 buzzword for increasing fires and smoke. Forest researchers have objected to this latest bit of political shorthand, since it incorrectly implies that nothing can be done and next year will be the same.
Having just come from a briefing by the province91裸聊视频檚 forest fire experts, Horgan took the opportunity to change the subject to what can be done.
91裸聊视频淥ver the decades, I don91裸聊视频檛 want to blame anyone, but we have not been cleaning our forests,91裸聊视频� Horgan said. 91裸聊视频淭here is too much fuel being left behind, and we need to address that.91裸聊视频�
In fact, 91裸聊视频渨e91裸聊视频� can91裸聊视频檛 clean our vast forests. Nature is now rebalancing the massive fuel load built up by our 60-year post-World War II 91裸聊视频榳ar on forest fires,91裸聊视频� which stopped the natural fires that had cleaned our Interior forests every 15 years or so. Smoke-filled summer skies are one result.
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Horgan referred to the B.C. government study on last year91裸聊视频檚 devastating fire season, headed by former forests minister George Abbott and Sto:lo Nation leader Maureen Chapman. They noted that a 2017 audit of forest fire prevention efforts estimated fuel reduction was done or planned for 110 square kilometres of interface forest around communities. That91裸聊视频檚 a small fraction of what is needed.
Horgan pleaded that he has been in government 13 months and this is his second state of emergency, crisis management leaving little time for prevention work. 91裸聊视频淲e need to be ready to go when the rains come to prepare for next year,91裸聊视频� he said.
Media sound bite three was whether a B.C. natural gas export industry can proceed without increasing B.C.91裸聊视频檚 greenhouse gas emissions. Horgan has already undergone a reality check on this, having embraced the former government91裸聊视频檚 logic that natural gas to Asia is better than more coal plants, hundreds of which continue to be built in China alone.
91裸聊视频淲e have to manage our greenhouse gas emission profile,91裸聊视频� Horgan said, borrowing another empty phrase from his environment minister before addressing reality. 91裸聊视频淲e also have to remember we91裸聊视频檙e 4.5 million people here in B.C. on a planet of 7.5 billion. So we have to be realistic about what our impacts would be of the actions we take in British Columbia.91裸聊视频�
Abbott and Chapman91裸聊视频檚 recommendations included more use of preventive burning in lower-risk conditions, and changes to forest land use such as protecting views around communities and highways. In some cases they echo the report done by former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon after the damaging Okanagan fires of 2003.
It91裸聊视频檚 been 14 years since Filmon pointed out the fuel buildup means 91裸聊视频渢here will be more significant and severe wildfires, and there will be more interface fires, unless action is taken.91裸聊视频�
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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