As Canadian Forces troops headed home from the second straight year of record B.C. wildfires, local politicians called for new incentives for property owners to reduce forest fuels on their land.

Delegates at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention supported a motion from Williams Lake on Thursday, calling for tax breaks and reduced home insurance rates for people who make their properties more resistant to wildfire.

The motion calls for options including 香蕉视频直播渞educed home insurance rates upon certification of adequate 香蕉视频直播榝ire smart香蕉视频直播� status, a tax rebate in correlation to the amount of fibre removed from property to achieve 香蕉视频直播榝ire smart香蕉视频直播� status, and/or a reduction in property taxes once certification of 香蕉视频直播榝ire smart香蕉视频直播� status is achieved.香蕉视频直播�

The proposal calls on the Insurance Bureau of Canada to consider the reduced rates.

Quesnel council had two resolutions. One noted 香蕉视频直播渧ery little has been done香蕉视频直播� to implement the recommendations of the 2003 report from former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon to tackle the fuel load. It called for the province to take the lead on community wildfire protection.

香蕉视频直播淭he fundamental weakness in the current approach to protecting interface communities from wildfire risk is the downloading of responsibility for managing and treating Crown forest land to local government,香蕉视频直播� the resolution states.

Quesnel also called for the province to toughen penalties for wildfire-related crime, after reports of trespassing and theft in fire evacuation zones.

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B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced Thursday that he has notified the federal government that the Canadian Armed Forces are no longer needed to assist with wildfire mop-up and security.

香蕉视频直播淭his will now enable the orderly withdrawal of ground troops, command personnel, aircraft and equipment,香蕉视频直播� Farnworth said.

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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