Dear BC Wildfire Service,

Please stop fighting us. An enemy has come over the mountain to take our homes, our businesses, our community. You condemn us for staying and saving the structures and livelihoods you decided should be left to fate. 

You say you don’t have enough resources. Use ours. You say you do not have enough people. We are an army. You say the risk is too great. We accept that risk for ourselves.

We have the tools, machinery, and know-how to be of use. Trained firefighters with fire suppression equipment are ready to assist. There is no need to waste time, energy, and resources forcing us to watch our community turn to ash.

We need help. The police need to find the looters and looky-loos, not keep food, water, and fuel from the people who are saving our homes. We need systems for communication. For an organized and collaborative effort. There is too much fire for just the BCWS, but we can do this together. 

This fire is not an inferno. It is fightable RIGHT NOW. If we leave, there will be no telling what will happen. Let us fight.

Sincerely,

Communities of British Columbia