On Monday, May 13 Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson introduced CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law to the B.C. legislature.

Named for Carter Vigh, the 100 Mile House youth who passed away last summer due to an asthma attack induced by wildfire smoke, CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law seeks to amend the B.C. Wildfire Act and encourage government to consider health concerns caused by the way they manage wildfires.

B次元官网网址淭here have been times (lately) where we have incredibly high particulate levels in the air. The smoke can be so thick many of us canB次元官网网址檛 see the end of our driveways,B次元官网网址� Doerkson explained. B次元官网网址淲e know that Carter lost his life while having an asthma attack he couldnB次元官网网址檛 recover from and it happened partially because of the wildfire smoke in the air that day.B次元官网网址�

Doerkson said many throughout B.C. have asthma or other health concerns that wildfire smoke can impact. He added he has received calls from senior citizens complaining they canB次元官网网址檛 breathe. Some have gone as far as duct-taping their windows to seal the smoke out.

CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law would focus on safeguarding vulnerable populations with respiratory conditions. Doerkson said it will encourage B.C. Wildfire to not let wildfires burn for extended periods of time that they could extinguish. During summers like 2023 when more than 200 fires were burning across the province at some points, he said reducing the amount of smoke in an area in any way is important.

B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址楥arterB次元官网网址檚 LawB次元官网网址� isnB次元官网网址檛 just a piece of legislation; itB次元官网网址檚 a promise to our community to actively protect those most at risk B次元官网网址� our children and the elderly B次元官网网址� by prioritizing health considerations in wildfire smoke response,B次元官网网址� Doerkson explained. B次元官网网址淭his bill represents a heartfelt commitment to helping improve air quality management and safeguarding public health during the devastating wildfire seasons.B次元官网网址�

Watching from the gallery while Doerkson presented the bill was the entire Vigh family. CarterB次元官网网址檚 mother Amber Vigh said the trip was a bit of a whirlwind for her family who got a tour of parliament and met with B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon and speaker of the house Raj Chouhan.

Vigh said the law is just the latest in a list of incredible things happening in her sonB次元官网网址檚 name. She appreciates Doerkson naming the amendment for Carter and shining a light on his story.

B次元官网网址淐arterB次元官网网址檚 Story is going so far and changing lives in so many different ways, itB次元官网网址檚 incredible,B次元官网网址� Vigh said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 super proud weB次元官网网址檝e done as much as we have in the last 10 months and that CarterB次元官网网址檚 story has such a reach.B次元官网网址�

Vigh supports the contents of the bill. If anything she sees CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law as an important first step in protecting people like her son from poor air quality.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just not the flames (of wildfires) that wreak havoc on our province. Even if the fire is burning 100 or 200 kilometres away from any infrastructure or human life, the smoke produced by these fires is travelling hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres and killing people,B次元官网网址� Vigh said. B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot that has to change in how we deal with forest fires and whatB次元官网网址檚 put into fighting them, but I think CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law is a huge step in the right direction.B次元官网网址�

Doerkson said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 anticipate any opposition from the government on the contents of CarterB次元官网网址檚 Law. If all goes well he said the bill could be voted into law during the fall legislature session, just before the anticipated provincial election.

B次元官网网址淚t will go on the order paper and then it will be up to the government to call it forward (for a vote). Sadly I donB次元官网网址檛 have control of that and of course, there is an election coming,B次元官网网址� Doerkson said.

B次元官网网址�(Presenting the bill) was an opportunity for me to explain to the legislature what IB次元官网网址檓 trying to achieve with this and an opportunity to share CarterB次元官网网址檚 story on a provincial scale.B次元官网网址�

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