Lil ol’ Nanda 🇨🇦 :
We seem to have changed our approach (at least where I live) and frankly, it’s not working. Previously, smoke would be spotted and a crew of trained locals would be dispatched to put it out. If it was larger then they’d call in more people and resources. If you were able and hanging around then it was expected you would go. Sometimes people were even pressed. I remember the men in my town had their gear by the door all summer: ready to go. They’d stay in camps and fight at night while the fire slept. They used axes, pails, shovels and maps. Air support:water bombers, fire retardant and helicopters. Most of the crew lived in the region, “knew” the land and understood the fire. Communities had mandatory firebreaks (a large cleared strip around town). Remote fires were allowed to burn. Fire bans were respected. Now we openly just let it burn. Nothing and no one is immune and the loss is great! The only improvement: fire bans now can include ATV’s. We don’t fight at night, locals are evacuated to cities and prohibited from helping, trained volunteers stay home while the professionals handle it. Last year we literally lost our water bomber base to fire. 😭 Also I might add that our managed forest (pulp, paper and wood) burnt right to the rock in some places so there’s that idea gone up in smoke. My advice: look at how we handled fires 20 years ago not how we’re doing it today. Fire breaks, trained volunteers and professionals, planes, helicopters and bulldozers at the ready, pre-existing agreements with other regions/countries, get your military involved and impose/enforce strict fire bans under certain conditions. Best of luck!
2026-08-03 23:31:23