Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources is reconsidering how it handles forest fires, and it’s looking for your help.
Previously, fires in the far north were monitored and fought when they threatened communities, a fire specialist with the ministry told the CBC.
However, it has become clear to the ministry that fire management in the province needs to change, which stems from a variety of factors. According to the ministry’s discussion paper, “there are increasing signs that shifts in climate and forest conditions are likely to result in more difficult fire seasons,” along with the “expanding economic activity in the far north,” which is likely to increase fire occurrence.
In fact, Ontario alone averages more than 1,100 wildfires each year throughout the province, and about 50 percent of those fires are caused by people.
For more details on the policy change, and to submit your comment online, head to the province’s Environmental Registry.
