Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Because of the policy in terms of values at risk where forest fires were started in remote locations and that don’t pose any danger to human lives or infrastructure or buildings of that nature, they’re left to burn. This summer, well, the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to travel down the Dempster to Trout River and we came across a fire that was just smoldering across Morrisey Creek, and at the same time towards Bouvier Creek there was another fire that was just smoldering and wasn’t being actioned.
So my question for the Minister is: Many people are concerned that the fires will continue to smolder under the muskeg this winter and reignite in the spring. Can the Minister comment on how likely that is to happen? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister of ENR, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can’t quantify how widely it happens, but I do agree with the Member and I’ve seen it myself where there’s smoke coming through the snowbanks even on a drive from Fort Smith to Hay River where there’s been fires. So we know it happens and we’ve mapped the burned areas, but I can’t quantify it to the extent the Member is asking.
Thank you. What we also experienced this summer is we had of course, obviously, frequent highway closures. Of course, we have the main artery between Fort Providence and Yellowknife that of course inconvenienced travellers. If such an occurrence was to happen again, and I hope it does not happen, what would the government do differently? Mahsi.
Thank you. That type of deliberation and review is part of the critical debriefing that’s underway and that I’ve just committed to sharing with committee when it’s done early in the New Year as we look at coming for the winter session. Thank you.
This summer was the driest and the hottest. I think there are some initiatives out there that communities could tap into. One example is the FireSmart initiatives. Usually a good time to do those kinds of initiatives, carrying them out, is during the wintertime.
How can we better prepare our communities for forest fires? Mahsi.
Thank you. All the communities could take a page from the work that Kakisa did to take matters into their own hands as the fire smarted their community, and as they were encroached on all sides by fire they recognized the value of that exercise. So I think communities can look at doing public spaces and then the encouragement for all individuals to get out there with their own saws and chainsaws, as I did my property, where you thin out the trees, you clear out the underbrush, you limb your trees as high as you can, move your woodpile away from your house and those type of things. All will give you a very precious advantage. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
