Editor:
It’s encouraging to see the Town of Canmore, Banff, and the MD of Bighorn taking steps to address the wildfire risk in the Bow Valley, especially after the devastating fire in Jasper this summer. Programs like fire mitigation in Canmore and Harvie Heights, as well as FireSmart initiatives and provincial funding to evaluate evacuation procedures, are promising. However, one key organization seems absent from the conversation: Parks Canada and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.
I’ve listened to the hearings from the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding the Jasper wildfire, which revealed significant failures in Parks Canada’s risk mitigation and resource management during the crisis. Despite Minister Steven Guilbeault’s attempts to shift blame to the province, climate change, and previous governments, little attention is given to evaluating Parks Canada’s actions. Alarms were sounded, but the agency did the bare minimum, as wildfire prevention doesn’t align with the minister’s broader climate change agenda.
While I appreciate the efforts in the Bow Valley, they are not enough to substantially reduce the risk. The hearings made it clear that Parks Canada bore the ultimate responsibility for wildfire mitigation in Jasper. The situation is similar in the Bow Valley: Parks Canada’s leadership is crucial, yet their current efforts, such as prescribed burns west of Banff and mitigation around Lake Louise, are insufficient. Their past performance also gives me great pause.
Parks Canada and the ministry need to outline concrete plans and commit serious financial resources to address this pressing issue. Guilbeault should broaden his focus from solely climate change to include meaningful wildfire mitigation. While climate change is undoubtedly a concern, measures like a carbon tax will do nothing to protect the Bow Valley over the next 20 years. Parks Canada’s lack of action in Jasper was regrettable, but repeating this in the Bow Valley would be inexcusable. It’s time for Parks Canada and the ministry to tackle this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
Bruce Eidsvik,
Canmore
