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The cost of fires

Canada is surrounded by fires on a whole lot of fronts this summer—from forest fires and NAFTA renegotiations to climate change. Let’s see what it takes to fight just one of them effectively.

Canada is surrounded by fires on a whole lot of fronts this summer—from forest fires and NAFTA renegotiations to climate change. Let’s see what it takes to fight just one of them effectively.

With much of the bottom half of it ablaze and more than a two-week long province-wide state of emergency declared, the most immediate front is beautiful British Columbia. Some 3,000 staff, including firefighters, support staff, and 450 personnel from provinces all across Canada are rallying to fight B.C.’s hundreds of wildfires. Playing a supporting role to these workers are more than 200 aircraft, including air tankers and helicopters. Australia, no stranger to immense bush fires, recently sent 53 specialized personnel to assist with B.C.’s wildfire response. Canadian Forces troops were dispatched to provide relief for exhausted RCMP officers and to helicopter in supplies of food and water to communities isolated by wildfires. Parks Canada staff are managing wildfires in Kootenay, Banff, and Yoho national parks. Even the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is considered an essential service during this emergency. The people behind this organization help feed, water, and, where possible, reunite owners with dislocated animals.

Homes for people, pets, livestock, and forest creatures are literally going up in smoke, creating a swath of tragedy in our most western province. More than 40,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and many others put on evacuation alert—all in just two short weeks since the state of emergency being declared. Volunteers and officials have been putting in long hours to keep up with accommodations, supplies, and other relief efforts for those displaced. Kindness, perhaps, is one of the more essential needs of victims right about now; fortunately, there seems to be plenty of that.

Poor air quality and poor visibility from all the smoke and ash created by the wildfires is wreaking havoc. Major transportation routes have been severely affected, including highway closures and trains stopped in their tracks. Even Canada Post service has been disrupted, requiring alternate arrangements for delivery of government cheques in some areas. Alberta and Saskatchewan also get to deal with poor air quality issues when the west wind blows, upping health care costs in all three affected provinces.

Industry has taken much heat from the fires, too. Communities known for being summer playgrounds stand to lose a considerable amount of tourism revenue after such a blazing season. At least 65 provincial parks and protected areas had to be temporarily closed, disappointing campers and hikers alike. Several of B.C.’s forestry mills had to close because of proximity to the fires, laying off workers and disrupting production of lumber and plywood. And all this on the heels of Trump slapping an additional 20% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. Not great.

The direct cost of B.C.’s management of the 2017 wildfire season is, so far, $90 million and counting. Indirect costs, like health care and lost economic activity, are not included.

But, hold onto your hats, there’s more! Remember the climate change “fire” I referred to at the beginning? If we don’t do anything more about carbon emissions than we already are, according to Climate Central and the World Meteorological Association we can expect Calgary summer temperatures to be more like those of Los Angeles by 2100. With southern California regularly up in smoke from wildfires, it’s not a huge leap to figure out what’s in store for us above the 49th parallel.

Ignoring the issues associated with wildfires and climate change puts us at risk for enormous costs in money, hardship, and lives. Thinking and acting along the lines of “a stitch in time saves nine”—now that’s in our best interest.

For more in your best interest, follow Sheelagh @sheesays or visit www.ideagarden.net

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