The #1 complaint the Cortes Island Fire Department received this summer was that some people continued to use chainsaws despite the drought and the possibility of sparking a wildfire. Interim Fire Chief Eli McKenty said this occurred in multiple locations across Cortes Island. He explained the current regulations are ‘too fuzzy’ to enforce and a possible solution may be adding chainsaw use to the proposed Cortes Island Open Burning Bylaw currently before the Strathcona Regional District Board.
Richard Butler has been providing training and certification on Cortes Island in tree falling, basic chainsaw safety and arborist training. Recently, he advertised free timber falling to private landowners for access to their trees for training purposes. He said he had more than 12 landowners respond to his local ad seeking trees to cut.
Since its inception in 1997, Campbell River‘s chainsaw sculpture show, “Transformations on the Shore,” has been a favourite event for both locals and tourists. Artists come from as far away as Alberta to participate in the summertime live sculpting event.
