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Letter: Smoking bylaw could reduce forest fire threat

Editor,
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Editor,

Re: Smoking Ban

Meteorologists predict another hot dry summer for this area and an increased risk of a major fire.

My concern today and for the last two years is the forested area along the Coquihalla River downstream from the golf course bridge.

There are people living under that bridge on and off and evidence of open fires in at least three places, as well as cigarette butts along the trails.

It wouldn’t take much to light up the debris and tinder dry litter covering the forest floor and the many dead and dying trees in that area.

I’m therefore glad that Mayor Victor and council, after much dithering, are ready to pass a bylaw on Jan. 22 prohibiting smoking and open fires in our parks.

I hope the definition of “parks” in the proposed bylaw includes our municipal forests.

Harmut Schmid