Thread by @JZThinAir

An unpopular thread on B.C.s raging forest fires.

Much of B.C.'s interior is a fire maintained ecosystem.

Tree ring research shows fire intervals of 5-20 years in much of it which fire suppression starting 100 years ago and getting really good starting in the 1950s.

1/n

Our plants, trees and wildlife all evolved with fire. Fire rejuvenates grasslands and plant communities and is an essential part of functioning and productive habitat for native species such as , moose, elk, mule deer and sheep, plus the growing list of #endangered species.

2/n

A number of these populations are in decline/at record lows; fire suppression plays a central role. Fire suppression results in more fuels on the forest floor and ladder fuels from young trees growing in areas where they shouldn't be, putting people and biodiversity at risk.

3/n

We're essentially building a bomb in our forests, and every year the bomb gets bigger. One day it will go off - the trouble is we don't have control over the detonation device.

Why? Smokey the Bear and timber values.

4/n

Smokey the Bear is an 80 year fraudster meant to strike fear into the public. Things that could have been done are: controlled burns; encourage deciduous broadleaf trees; restore our grasslands. All of these things mitigate the severity of current fires, but we didn't. Why?
5/n

To protect 'timber values'. In B.C. we see our forests only as a source of timber.

We actively suppress deciduous broadleaf trees like aspen, we put out fires to protect timber values, and we suppress grasslands via fire suppression to grow merchantable timber.

6/n

If we had controlled burns, broadleaf trees and grasslands on the landscape our fire problem would be far more manageable and we'd also have wayyyyy more wildlife.

While climate change is #trendy on B.C.'s #wildfire, it is not causal - it makes things worse.

7/n

Again, industry, Minsters and Governments knew all of this was coming but did nothing. This is entirely self-induced.

Fires now are less controllable destroying trees, soils, private property and putting people's lives and livelihoods at risk.

8/n

What we do after is almost as important as before. A fire left untouched creates an amazing hotspot for native plants, trees and wildlife. Leaving burned trees regulates moisture and temperature in the soil - they are essential.

Post fire and 1 year post pic attached.

9/n

But often we don't do that - instead the race is on to log. The result is a barren landscape with stunted regrowth, weeds, roads, which can result in erosion, flooding, and sedimentation in our streams. These areas are pretty sterile.

Same fire in salvage logged block.

10/n

B.C. has been so focused on cutting down/selling trees, we have ignored the costs of fire suppression, invasive weeds, biodiversity loss, food security, flooding, erosion, sedimentation, tourism, and property loss.

We knew this was coming.

11/n

Archaic forest policies got us here, climate change is only the icing on the cake. All the things that could have helped us today are things we have actually suppressed for over 50 years.

We now have a choice, the same choice we've had for decades.

12/n

We can keep putting fires out, treating native species such as aspen like weeds until the fuel loading is so bad the wildfires are completely uncontrollable all summer long killing off biodiversity, destroying homes, with crushing smoke and putting people's lives at risk.

13/n

Or we can invest in our forests, encourage diversity, have controlled burns in the spring and fall and let some others burn to create a diverse landscape that mitigates wildfires, supports people and wildlife.

We have choices.

How do you like your smoke?

End. #BCpoli