I am proud to live in a province that is recognized around the world for excellence in wildfire prevention and management.
Closer to home, we have the Cariboo Fire Centre that stretches from Loon Lake near Clinton north to the Cottonwood River near Quesnel, east to Wells Gray Provincial Park and west to Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park.
One of the things that brings a community together are volunteers. And we can’t ask for a better example of this, from those who freely give their time as volunteer firefighters.
These people are our neighbours, co-workers, friends and families. I am so proud and thankful for their commitment to our communities and for their efforts to help reduce wildfire risks, working together with all those at the Cariboo Fire Centre.
There is another group of people that play an important role in preventing wildfires: the public. Nearly half of all wildfires each year are caused by human activity - making wildfire prevention, education, and enforcement a top priority.
Due to an increased wildfire risk in the Cariboo region, it is important to exercise caution with any outdoor burning activity and report any wildfires or abandoned campfires, and doing what you can to help prevent dangerous wildfires.
Forest fire prevention and fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. Together, we can all play a role.
Donna Barnett is the Liberal MLA for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.