Belanger Admits Forest Fire Policy Needs Work

Belanger Admits Forest Fire Policy Needs Work

Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 15:14

 

 

In the wake of more evacuations in the Athabasca Basin, an NDP cabinet minister from northern Saskatchewan agrees the province’s policy for fighting forest fires needs another look.

 

Buckley Belanger says he’s been concerned with what’s unfolded in the province’s Far North in the last few days.

 

Another 400 people were evacuated from Stony Rapids and Fond du Lac to Saskatoon and Lloydminster yesterday because of heavy smoke and other concerns. That’s on top of roughly 300 who were airlifted out of Stony Rapids, Black Lake, Fond du Lac and Uranium City to Prince Albert earlier this week.

 

Belanger says the criticism of the province’s “let it burn” policy from First Nations leaders and residents of the Athabasca Basin is not without merit, but he says northerners should also remember that the province sets aside $65 million each year for protecting communities and other values from forest fires.

 

Northern Saskatchewan’s Member of Parliament says it’s time for the provincial government to drastically change its two-year-old forest fire policy or dump it altogether.

 

Gary Merasty says the large fire burning in the Far North has proven that the policy is faulty and is cause for concern.

 

Merasty says not only does employing an observation zone put communities in jeopardy, it also affects traditional land users who lose trap lines to fire.

 

He feels northerners should be consulted and included in any government policy which has a direct impact on their livelihoods and communities.

 

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations agrees with Merasty’s assessment of the situation. Federation Vice-Chief Lawrence Joseph says he is “appalled” at what’s transpiring in Saskatchewan’s Far North.

 

Meanwhile, Belanger says he hoped to talk with evacuees in Prince Albert yesterday, but a problem with the landing gear of his plane postponed that visit to today.