Wow - what a hot, dry dangerous summer.
Since April some 2,200 dangerous forest fires have threatened the well-being of thousands of people. Day after day the media continues alerting the population that 85 per cent of the province is on extreme fire warning. Many people in places such as Kelowna and Pemberton Meadows have had to leave their homes as wildfires, aided by gusting winds, threatened to burn them down.
Some 2,500 brave, hard-working firefighters are battling ominous blazes in the extreme heat.
Using heavy equipment, water bombers dumping retardants and pouring water on the burning flames, battling workers have so far managed to contain the threatening fires.
What is the financial costs to B.C. taxpayers? So far, nearly $110 million, double the estimated amount. However, the dry summer is only half over.
Clearly fighting forest fires is an expensive priority that needs to be funded by the federal government. Ottawa has lots of taxpayer dollars that are being wasted on having our courageous soldiers fight a deadly war, that sadly has taken the lives of 127 soldiers.
Recently parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page released a public report indicating that the full cost of the Afganistan mission "could reach $18.l billion by 2011."
Page's study took into account the long-term costs of caring for physically and mentally ill soldiers.
Surely it's time to bring our soldiers home where they can safely use their training fighting threatening blazing forest fires.
Arnet Tuffs
West Sechelt
