Canadian wildfire fighters don’t want “catastrophe” to be “catalyst” for change

When it comes to wildfires, the conversation is often framed in big-picture — almost statistical — terms: total hectares destroyed, number of people evacuated, air quality index and the total cost of damages. But lost in this view are the people at the forefront of Canada's response to fires.

Far from the stereotype of anonymous heroes hidden behind heavy gear is the difficult reality of intense pressure, long hours and severe mental and physical health burdens. Yet in their voices, they are not just issuing a warning — but a prescription. A call for Canada to reassess its relationship with wildfires and wildfire fighters alike.

“It's not a matter of if it's going to happen, it's a matter of when it's going to happen. And by that I mean when is the community going to burn down? When is someone going to lose their life?” Canadian Wildfire Network founder Andrew Base said. “I just don't want the catastrophe to be the catalyst to change in policy and how we manage fires and our forested environment.”

From how people think of wildfires to how officials can best support the people behind them, how can the world learn to better live with wildfires — and just who are the people hidden behind the thick walls of smoke and flames? Global’s Katherine Cheng has more.

#GlobalNews #Canada #Wildfires

[JabbaBy]

Literally coldest month of June on record for 20 years.😂

[SEALTRIDENT]

These are true HEROES that deserves more funding, more attention and way more empathy 🙏

[rickvervoort]

This government sure gets it's money's worth from Global.

[YardPrep]

“Looking for more diversity in the ranks”

My God, just take what you can get in applications. Quit whining about equity DEI. Fires don’t care about your skin colour

[light-yime]

They conveniently forget to mention the role of arson and ignorant people in causing the fire ! I don’t care about colour of skin, but are you the best for this demanding job or not!

[tiwowo]

I FEEL SORRY FOR WILDLIFE!!AND FIREFIGHTERS😢😢

[ABNDT]

Then stop funding Ukraine & you could of had 250 fully equipped water bomber squads with money left over for another 50

[JaynePeters-gn]

Kudos, ty ty, ty all, fire freaks me out, you are all very brave, I send prayers and ❤

[mikeb]

Ok, someone in government needs to pay attention. Buy an old C5 Galaxy, put 4 bladders in it holding 10, 000 gallons each. That's 200, 000 pounds and within the capability of the airframe. Plumb the centreline of the fuselage and use it for large water drops. Can drop what would be the same as 28 water bomber payloads. Could be in one place, or its range could service several smaller fires and contain them early.

[Pepe]

It’s cold wet and no smoke in bc and Alberta. Maybe dedicate journalists to investigate mp’s working for India and China instead of this climate change nonsense

[alstewart]

Equip and permit rural residents to jump on fires when they start near their communities.

[Ketowski]

Maybe managing underbrush better using indigenous wildlife and wood fires to help prevent them.

[shawnlund]

You would think that after last year’s fire season global news would have some B roll fire video from Canada wouldn’t have to resort to fire video from South America 😅

[shoobydoobiemauiwowee]

We could subsidize wild fire fighter staff's wages with a secondary system that is intended to remedy the root cause of the out of control wildfires.

[magician-ch]

sorry guys but wildfires and detrimental devastating disasters are very needed to give a lesson for the arrogant people who would like to treat people as a slavery system and for those who would like to give ppl a lesson for how much great/superior they are and what they can do. This disaster will be continued until they admit that they are little

[DaKrawnik]

We all let this happen.
Blaming government is for cowards.

[TheRealBatCave]

Just hire the most qualified people for the job, the fires dont care about diversity so hire whoever is capable and willing to do the job, and as for pay and or medical assistance dont hold your breath, a look at the soldiers in CAF and how they have been looked after over the last decades will tell u these folks wont get the support they r looking for.

[MrUranium]

I sorry, was there a point to this?, besides we're "victims" bla bla bla

[alstewart]

Wasn't the 14 km backburn that the BC Wildfire Service lit in the North Shuswap last year that resulted in dozens of homes and half the community of Scotch Creek burning down catastrophic enough to force a change to firefighting in BC? Train and equip local residents to fight fires near their communities, dont threaten to arrest them and throw them in jail for trying saving their homes.

[sarathdassanaike]

In which State in Canada 🇨🇦 this wild 🔥