Dear Editor, Thank you for the notice, re: Fire Smart in your yard. I’ll do my best to follow these directions. I look forward to a similar notice directed at the Hope Municipality leaders to be pro-active and fire smart as well.

We’ve had another hot, dry summer in this area, and likely more to come, with an obvious increased risk of major fire.

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

There are great piles of dry litter covering the forest floor and there are many dead and dying tress in that area, some still sanding, and many just lying there.

We’re just one carelessly discarded cigarette butt away from a real disaster, but the mayor and council have done nothing, I repeat nothing, to mitigate the danger except put up signs to prohibit camp fires.

They hope that our good luck holds for another year. So do I, but is that the best they can do? Most other municipalities in the Lower Mainland are proactive to reduce their fire risk. Do we have to have a major fire before the mayor and council wake up and take this situation seriously?

Thanks and best regards,

Hartmut Schmid