Not A Myth (politics)

 

Alberta Storm Watch (group on Facebook) posted this photo of one of the fires burning right now.

BC has seen it's (un)fair share of out of control wildfires, but this year?  Mother Nature is making a much bigger impact by burning up the 3 prairie provinces.  You know, our bread basket?  

So far we are doing ok in BC but after years of a wildfire season that began earlier and earlier, leaving 'zombie' fires to overwinter and spring back to life, we have only a 'few' fires to deal with.  So far.  The season has only begun, things could get very ugly for humans and the environment at any moment.

And yet, the first ministers just held a 'conference' in Saskatoon, SK, where certain politicians seem bent on complete destruction by making plans to pump more gas and oil.  To what end?  Oh, maybe it might mean a few more % points in the GDP, but at what cost?

Personally we have made every effort we can to reduce, reuse, recycle and use less gas/oil.  When we watch the politicians, who are *supposed* to be looking to protect the future stamp their feet and demand 'support the O&G industry' I begin to wonder that the efforts we as individuals have made just been but a drop in the bucket.  

The sheer magnitude of the fire situation here and elsewhere (Australia, Africa, the US and other places) is beyond comprehension.  To look at the photo I've taken from the Alberta Storm Watch group only gives a hint, the barest indication, of what is happening.

We have been watching a documentary series on Knowledge Network called Wildfire.  It is beyond sobering.

Governments continue to ignore the situation.  Ignore the harm happening to the earth, prepare to mine more coal (for fuck's sake, why!?) and pump gas and oil.  

I have no answers.  I'm just one of a very few voices, with zero 'power' to change things.  In the meantime I hold my breath as half of my country is at threat of fires that threaten us *and everything else in their path*.  Mother Earth seems determined to amputate a few limbs to save herself.  

Will humans be one of them?

Time will tell.