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EDITORIAL: Fire threat requires action

Predator Ridge residents obviously aren’t willing to sit back and wait for disaster.

Predator Ridge residents obviously aren’t willing to sit back and wait for disaster.

It was recognized that the area could be impacted by wildfire so a committee was formed to tackle the issue head on.

“As the wildfire situation in Fort McMurray and other wildfires in the Okanagan in recent years show, it is time for our community to take some action in order to mitigate damage to our homes in the urban wildlife area,” said Mark Goode, committee member.

Dead branches and pine cones have been removed and trees have been thinned within 10 metres of homes.

Obviously all of the hard work in the world won’t stop a wildfire, but any attempt to minimize the potential risk is welcome, particularly given that so much of the North Okanagan is within the interface zone, whether it’s the BX, Cherryville, Kingfisher, the North Westside or Okanagan Landing.

The Predator Ridge committee is holding an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we would encourage residents there and throughout the region to learn more about the benefits of being fire smart.

A disaster similar to the one in Fort McMurray is highly plausible in the North Okanagan-Shuswap so we all need to work together to keep our communities safe.