Slave Lake Shows Danger of Trees

Environmentalists are forever telling us to hug trees, save our forests and stop logging. In the case of Slave Lake, Alberta, that advice has destroyed the town.

Slave Lake satellite photo (Mapquest)

The damage is catastrophic. Hundreds of homes, churches and businesses have been destroyed. So too has the town hall, library and radio station. The power is out, cellphone service has been spotty, and 7,000 residents were forced to flee through a single road, the only highway open as fires rage on all sides.

News reports blame the wind, but the true culprit is the proximity of the forest. You can see how close the trees are to the town. Indeed a swath of trees goes right into the city. This is what it looks like on the ground. 

Slave Lake on fire (CTV)

Each one of the trees in the foreground and mid picture is like a barrel of turpentine sitting on top of a pile of kindling. Each one will burn with explosive force in a fire. 

Despite these facts, cities in much of Canada continue to surround themselves with coniferous forests for esthetic reasons. 

They should be busy chopping them down and replacing them with pasture land irrigated by treated sewage like Vernon, BC.

 treated sewage irrigation, Vernon BC

The closest a forest should be to a city is five miles. And yes, that includes Stanley Park and Vancouver's North Shore.

 a North Vancouver Bed & Breakfast

If you think Slave Lake is bad, just wait until a big forest fire burns down Vancouver.

As it very easily could.