There is a fire burning and it is too close to home.
Just two valleys over, in Verdant Creek, a lightning-caused wildfire sent a plume of smoke into the air on Saturday (July 15), a concerning harbinger of possible disaster. A stark reminder we are not immune to the wildfires that burn in B.C. to the west, and of the Fort McMurray blaze last year.
Fresh in the minds of many locals is the 2013 flood and the evacuation of residents at night, in the rain and dark, as mountain creeks raged and sent an entire region into disaster recovery and emergency management.
Having in the recent past dealt with a natural disaster, nerves have been on edge ever since the smoke appeared.
The air quality index hit peaks and valleys all week. The worse it gets, the more we know there is a fire burning. But what else did we know? Very little about what was happening with the emergency operation, the response, the strategic decisions, the classification of the fire and size were provided publicly since the fire began. These are details that were purposely withheld by Parks Canada over the first several days of this fire.
A briefing by Banff National Park Superintendent David McDonough on Monday provided little relief from this fact-less void, as the sky filled with smoke that leaves your mouth dry and scattered ash falling through town. By Tuesday, thankfully, experienced fire management staff answered questions publicly and provided actual details about the wildfire.
It was time for information to be provided, as the community’s frustration with the lack of information was palpable. Frustration and powerlessness are challenging things to begin with, let alone when we are experiencing them together as an entire community left in the dark. There is a threat to our homes, our lives nearby and it is completely reasonable for the public to want to understand the nature of that threat in real time.
There also are very real concerns about the affect of a wildfire burning so close to Banff would have on visitation and public perceptions during what has been hyped up to be a record-breaking year for tourism. There are also major wildfires burning to the west, and public safety to be addressed.
We’ve been through wildfire events as a valley before, and the B.C. and Alberta wildfire services make detailed information about wildfires publicly available.
The absence of information is a struggle for us all, especially when details are what we need to make decisions in our daily lives. It is impossible not to be concerned when the sun sits behind a blanket of heavy smoke and there is an active out-of-control wildfire nearby. What causes even more concern, and unnecessary stress for people is the absence of information.
Let’s all remember we are a resilient community and steady ourselves for the days to come, because the air quality is a risk to the health of our community and we need to manage with this smoke. There are a lot of jobs that need to be done everyday when we are this close to an active wildfire.
We need to respect fire bans, listen to health advisories and be prepared because this is a dynamic situation that can change quickly.
As for Parks Canada, well they have two jobs they need to focus on moving forward – keeping us safe and keeping us informed.
