Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Money is set aside for this year’s capital plan for a new fire lookout tower in Enterprise. The tower will replace an existing tower located in an isolated part of the Cameron Hills, 73 kilometres from Kakisa.
Like other fire lookout towers, the Cameron tower is staffed from mid-May to mid-August by a contract employee from Hay River. It is used for fire detection and it is also part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ communication system. However, the tower has limited visibility over Hay River and the Cameron Hills Plateau. It can only be serviced by helicopter, which increases operating costs substantially. Its isolated location raises health and safety concerns for the employee stationed there. Fire detection for Kakisa is primarily from another tower located 15 kilometres west of the community and from aerial detection flights.
We have a strong business case for removing the Cameron tower and relocating its functions to Enterprise. My constituents look forward to that work starting as soon as possible. The new site provides better coverage of high priority values at risk. It will be easier to manage and brings added activity to the community. Tower construction and servicing would ideally involve contractors from the region and, better yet, from the community. This lookout station also makes the community aware of the role we all play in forest fire management as stewards of our land. With a certain amount of commitment, a local person might have the opportunity to work the new fire tower, thereby reducing costs even more.
The new tower in Enterprise makes sense. I’m very pleased to see it in the 2014-15 Capital Plan and look forward to the community of Enterprise being a key piece of our forest fire management system.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
