Forest Fire Catastrophe a Sign of Neglect!

As I sit here looking out over my smoke filled village, I have come to the conclusion that the forest fire catastrophe in the West could have been far less traumatic if the people of Canada had been more proactive.  First, let it be said that I have very limited experience with forest fires.  I spent a very, very brief time at a fire lookout station back in the sixties.  Also back then I was commandeered to fight a forest fire.  That lasted less than two days!  

I did learn that forest fires destroy valuable resources.  They kill both men and critters. Man made structures are at their mercy. They are very hard and exhausting to fight.  And they can be better controlled if they are caught early!

Here's what I think Canada should do to stop what is happening in B.C. now.

• Build more look-out stations or towers in forested areas. These would act as early warning sites so fires could be spotted and attacked early.
• Create more "forest fire first responders" who can be brought into a fire early. 
• Build, equip and staff more forest fire halls, much like urban fire halls across the forested areas.
• Build more forest fire fighting aircraft like the Canadair CT415 which could be placed at more fire stations like the one in Rocky Mountain House.
• Hire more full time forest firefighters.
• Encourage more controlled burns to reduce the amount of undergrowth which can fuel a fire for months.
• Attack all forest fires.  We can no longer afford to "let nature take its course"!
• Create a national forest fire response system which could coordinate the moving of personnel and equipment to fight fires across Canada.

Would this be expensive?  You bet your bippy!   But when you consider the cost of fighting those fires and the destruction they create, it might just turn out to be a good investment!   I think it is the responsibility of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to work together with the forest industry to build this strategy.  Remember Slave Lake, Fort Mac, and that huge grass fire in Saskatchewan among others.  I think it's time we do the math!

Poor Old Sir John A.

I was appalled over the removal of the bronze statue of our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald from in front of Victoria's City Hall.   I was not upset with the reasoning behind the removal but in the way it was done.  It was announced that the statue would be removed just days before the event.  A crew showed up before the dawn and proceeded to haul it away to storage.  A handful of protesters were on hand but it was so early in the morning, most folks were still in bed when the deed was done! 

There was and still is no plans announced as to where the statue is to be relocated.  Maybe those in charge of the move are hoping people will forget about Sir John A. and the statue can be melted down.

Sir John A. MacDonald is a hero of mine!  I know he drank too much and he discussed political theory with lampposts among other things, but he stitched together the fabric of what was to become the greatest nation in the world; Canada!   Yes I know he screwed up some things but most of what he did led to the creation of this country.

When it came to the natives of Canada, our indigenous people, Sir John A. and his cohorts screwed up bad!  They thought the best thing for our indigenous children was to send them to boarding schools and make little English kids out of them.  Boarding schools were a way of life in Britain back then so it seemed a good idea at the time.  I am sure that had they known of the abuse and cruelty that would take place in those residential schools that they would not have pushed the idea!  As it turned out the residential schools have become a very sad chapter in this nation's history.

If moving the statue acknowledges that the way the indigenous people of Canada were treated back was terrible, then its move was long overdue!  But where's it going?  I think it should it should be rededicated in front of Victoria's federal building, wherever that is.  After all Sir John A. was a federal leader.

Removing his statue cannot rewrite history.  It is what it is!  Removing his statue cannot punish Sir John A. for his screw-up with the residential schools.  I hope that removing his statue might acknowledge that screw-up and declare that all Canadians are now moving on!

Canada strong!

Beware Beacon Heights!

I ask all residents and visitors to Beacon Heights to be extra cautious while driving through our neighborhood.   There are a number of children living in our area who have no concept of traffic rules and safety!  They will dart out in front moving vehicles without even looking.  They will ride their bikes and scooters down the center of the street while vehicles are attempting to drive by!  They leave their bikes, scooters, and other toys on the street and will run out to retrieve them at any time!  Our 30 km/hr speed limit is far too fast!   I have decided to come to a complete stop and wait for them to pass.  I have voiced my concern to them on a few occasions with no effect.  Please be aware of these kids and adjust your driving accordingly.  We do not want a child injured in a traffic accident in our subdivision!