The Forest Practices board is not pleased with progress being made to protect urban areas from Wildfires.
In a followup from a 2010 report in which the board made recommendations to government and communities to address Wildfire risks, this new report finds that the work done over the past five years has not addressed the hazard.
Board Chair Tim Ryan explains:
“Over the past five years, the Province committed a significant amount of funds to treat the wild land urban fire interface area and not a lot of hectares have been treated, which is disappointing from the boards perspective”
He also says the 2003 fires in Kelowna, which destroyed over 230 homes, seems to have been forgotten:
“But that it seems to have faded on the public’s radar screen, that people are not as sensitive today as they were in 2003 or the years afterwards”
Ryan says he is very concerned, saying the government does not have the resources to respond to every Wildfire and protect every community at risk, and he once again stressed the importance of prevention by removing forest fuels, and readiness as a solution.
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