BY BOB ZIMMER
Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP
As the wildfires in the province continue to burn and more evacuees are being forced from their homes, concerns continue to be raised about the level of resources that have been deployed to fight these fires.
That is why, on the same day that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled to Prince George to meet with first responders, I sent both the prime minister and Premier John Horgan letters highlighting these concerns and urging immediate action to ensure those affected get the resources they need.
While I am pleased to hear that the federal government has established a committee to help address the wildfires, in my letter I urged the prime minister to ensure that federal resources be made available to those affected in a timely and efficient manner. The last thing we need is to have these resources get bogged down in bureaucracy.
As stated in my letters to both Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Horgan, it is also vital that firefighting efforts get the resources needed immediately to help ensure that our residents and our communities are protected.
While I appreciate the visits from the prime minister and the premier, it doesn’t mean anything unless we see an increase in resources and people to fight these fires. Fires that are costing people their livelihoods and their homes.
I cannot thank those in the field enough for fighting these fires to help keep our communities safe.
It is why we must continue to push all levels of government to ensure that those on the frontline have the support they need to get the job done.
To those affected by the wildfires, especially those who have had to leave your homes on a moment’s notice, you and your families continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
I urge everyone to continue to listen to evacuation orders, to be prepared to leave if needed, and to have a plan in place in case of an emergency.
Stay safe everyone.
