Water Mapping to fight wildfires more effectively
The value of proactive water mapping By Emily Jerome, Living Lakes Canada In mid-July, nearly 500 wildfires across Canada were ignited by lightning strikes. In the BC Interior mountains above the small rural community of Argenta, three lightning strikes set parched vegetation ablaze. The Argenta Creek wildfire was discovered the following day on July 18, […]
Op/Ed: Renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty
Efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty provide an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past By Stewart Rood, Professor of Biology and Environmental Science, University of Lethbridge The Columbia River Treaty is a landmark water-management agreement, ratified in 1964, by the United States and Canada which aimed to co-ordinate water management within the Columbia […]
Column: To turn away from a sixth mass extinction
Paradigm shift needed to address climate change, biodiversity loss Much of the focus in trying to address climate breakdown is rightly on reducing emissions from burning gas, oil and coal. But an equally critical part of the equation is halting and reversing rampant destruction of the natural world. Whether or not you believe our planet […]
Column: Brain, consciousness, soul
Experiment: take human brain, add consciousness, stir “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin This column is a far stretch from my columns on history or culture, I admit. Be forewarned, I’m playing with ideas, not establishing facts, about consciousness […]
DrivesmartBC: Where to Stop for a Stop Sign
Would you believe me if I told you that the positioning of a stop sign at an intersection has nothing to do with where you must stop? Yes, the sign tells you that you must stop, but the markings on the roadway, or lack of them, tell you where the stop has to take place. […]
Fire badly damages Columbia Gardens Winery tasting room
A structure fire has done extensive damage to a log structure at the Columbia Gardens Winery early Saturday afternoon, according to Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue Chief Dan Derby. He said 13 firefighters responded to a call at 9430 Station Road that came in at 12:04 p.m. Crews arrived on scene at 12:16 p.m. and […]
RDKB Ignites FireSmart Savings with New Rebate Program
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) has announced the launch of its Residential FireSmart Rebate Program, providing an incredible opportunity for residents to enhance the wildfire resiliency of their homes and communities. This initiative is the latest addition to the RDKB’s ongoing efforts to promote FireSmart practices, reinforcing the district’s commitment to wildfire mitigation. […]
Column: Protecting polluters, punishing protestors
This summer, five climate activists in the U.K. were sentenced to four and five years in jail for taking part in nonviolent actions. Their sentences are considerably longer than those recently handed down to people convicted of participating in violent racism-fuelled riots in the U.K., which were on average two years, with some escaping jail […]
Campfire ban rescinded in Southeast Fire Centre
BC Wildfire Service said in a media release that effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PDT on Monday, August 26, 2024, campfires will be allowed in the Southeast Fire Centre. The BC Wildfire Service takes several factors into account before rescinding open burning prohibitions. This includes balancing the needs of the public with the need to […]
Letter: the Rossland Pool
Dear Mayor and Council, The recent report in the Trail Times has created a lot of concern in the community – https://www.trailtimes.ca/home/committee-recommends-rossland-pool-be-phased-out-7484322 . There is also an extensive history not covered in that press report. Suffice to say, any recreation facility requires a heavy subsidy. The curling club stand as another example, with just a […]