The following letter was sent to Mayor Milt McIver and Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula Council.
Dear Mayor McIver and Council,
The reality of a major Wildfire in the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula is an increasing unease for all residents and property owners. There are vast areas of the peninsula that are littered with deadfalls of Jack Pine, Balsam and Spruce. The disastrous fires in Jasper National Park and the Town of Jasper, Alberta have reinforced the fearful truth. It hasn’t escaped our observation that our own park and the MNR to the south have not implemented any forest fire prevention actions as a result.
We endorse an initiative to establish “Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans (CWPPs), that include wildland fire risk assessments, forest hazard analysis, and wildland fire mitigation strategies.” This would include initiatives such as fire breaks on government-controlled land and the opening of closed concessions to control and to contain the fire.
We would ask Council for additional funding as required to supplement the grants that are being applied for. There is an immediate need for at least partial implementation before Summer 2026; in consideration of Jasper, this initiative should have priority.
A wildfire on the peninsula would be catastrophic resulting in possible loss of life, destruction of our precious environment and properties, the like of which has not been seen the fires of the 1950’s.
Respectfully submitted
St. Edmunds Property Owners Inc., Executive
David Almack, Kevin Doyle, Dave Hartney, Carrie King, Tom McAfee, Udo Nixdorf and Jack Schenk
