This summer has been marred by increasing wildfires and evacuations from remote Indigenous communities. Wildfires in Ontario and British Columbia have now, and we are still only in July, consumed 735,000 hectares in the former and 69,000 in the latter. Ontario has experienced widespread air quality alerts and Special Air Quality Statements across much of the province.
Yet, despite increasing wildfire alerts and air quality warnings many Canadians believe that they are caused by lightening strikes and human impacts. A recent Toronto Star article (July 20th) states that “Fewer Canadians believe humans are causing climate change, poll finds—even as Ontario wildfires burn”.
Experts are very clear that the two main drivers are the climate crisis and mismanaged forest practices. How long are we going to wait to demand concrete action from our governments to address these two drivers instead of building new pipelines to continue our addiction to oil and gas development?
We must all stand up and demand action of our elected politicians at every level and demand action now before this picture becomes an icon of the past.
