Northern Leaders Discuss Forest Fire Policy

Northern Leaders Discuss Forest Fire Policy

Wednesday, August 02, 2006 at 14:51

Some provincial government officials have heard from about 30 northern leaders who want the province’s forest fire policy changed.

The chiefs and mayors used a meeting with government representatives in Prince Albert yesterday to again voice their disapproval of the so-called “let it burn” policy — which was first introduced in 2004.

They’re upset that Saskatchewan Environment won’t tackle fires outside a 20-kilometre radius of certain communities.

Many are convinced that Stony Rapids wouldn’t have been threatened by a large fire earlier this summer under the old rules.

Ile-a-la-Crosse mayor Max Morin says the department has promised annual reviews of its policy, but he says that pledge won’t mean much if northerners aren’t directly involved.

Morin feels the northern leaders got their point across during the meeting. Still, they’ve requested a follow-up meeting with the minister of Environment and the premier — and Morin says the mayors and chiefs will have documentation from a technical committee in place to back up their position.

Elders were also present for yesterday’s meeting, and talked about how the policy has allowed valuable land they have used for traditional purposes to go up in smoke.