Out-of-control wildfires cause evacuations in western Canada
NPR Online NewsNov 28, 2022
The Facts
As of Saturday morning, at least 103 wildfires were burning across the province of Alberta, Canada, displacing thousands of residents and livestock. According to the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, 37 of the wildfires are burning out of control.
In response, authorities have declared a state of emergency, and firefighters from British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario have been deployed to support firefighting operations. As crews battle the wildfires, nearly 30K residents face evacuation orders across western Canada.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Canadian government is committed to keeping people safe as the country faces an increased wildfire threat due to the changing climate. Even with dedicated and sufficient resources, wildfires will continue to impact communities. This dedication to addressing the threats of climate change is visible in the 2022 commitment of $516M across the country for fire services training, hiring, equipment purchases for First Nations, and a satellite-based wildfire monitoring system.
Establishment-critical narrative
Hundreds of millions of dollars are being squandered by the Canadian government completing ill-advised and inadequate fire mitigation measures. The government must immediately put policies and practices into place that combine prescribed fire, Indigenous traditional know-how and technique, and sustainable forestland harvesting to be successful at beating back climate change impacts on wildfires.