Editor:
I wanted to respond to Lorne Fitch’s commentary "Oil flowed while Jasper burned" in the Aug. 15 edition of the Outlook, which comes across more as an attack on the Alberta government, oil and gas, and forest industries than a constructive commentary on climate policy and limiting the wildfire risks to the Bow Valley.
Fitch concludes that we are unprepared for a new fire regime, suggesting our best option is to simply get out of the fire's path. Is that really the recommendation – abandoning communities like Canmore?
We must distinguish between addressing climate change and preventing large-scale wildfires. These issues operate on different time scales. Even the most aggressive climate policies will not prevent the next wildfire, a risk that is imminent in the Bow Valley. While both issues are interconnected, focusing more on wildfire prevention could significantly impact climate change mitigation. For instance, the CO2 emissions from a large wildfire, like the one in Jasper, could offset the equivalent CO2 savings of millions of electric vehicles.
Rather than just debating climate change, we need immediate action on wildfire prevention. The responsibility for the Bow Valley lies with Parks Canada and Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault in the National Parks and the Alberta Government.
We've already seen inaction from the government, as demonstrated by their response in Jasper. It’s time for our community, local councils, First Nations partners, and Members of Parliament to demand real action. We need solid strategies to prevent the next conflagration, learning from our First Nations partners, instead of just getting out of the way.
Bruce Eidsvik,
Canmore
