CBC Daybreak Interview 7:15 am Tomorrow

[Link to 2006 Chilcotin Fires ]

I received a message from a CBC Daybreak producer:

I managed to reach one of Ralph Edwards' old friends -- the man who published a triology on Edwards' life. He'll be on our show at 7-15 if you're interested.

I suggested they may also like to look into local feeling that the fire could have been stopped in its tracks a long time ago.  I sent her these extracts from an e-mail I received in early July. This was when the fire could probably have been taken care of relatively easiliy. It quoted various people on

    . . .  the refusal of the Chilcotin fire folk to fight the Turner Lake fire, which is in a special management area (although in the Park) because of its high tourism values.    . . . discovered that if a fire is fought in a Park, Parks must pay Forestry the $250,000 or so it would cost.  And Parks doesn't appear to have a fire budget!  The TL fire is already just 1 km from the bridge across the outlet of Turner Lake.  No one is allowed in the area . . .

All the Anahim based firefighters (there were about 250) have been sent elsewhere, but the Bella Coola firefighters are twiddling their thumbs and would be happy to go in there.

I encouraged her to follow up on this.