Tag Archives: Eli McKenty

September 2024 Update from the Cortes Community Forest

The Cortes Community Forest Co-operative’s 2024 AGM will be from 7:30 to 9 PM on Mansons Hall on Wednesday October 9th. 

Together with Klahoose Forestry, they make up the Cortes Forestry General Partnership. Mark Lombard, General Manager for the Partnership gave Cortes Currents an overview of their operations this year and plans for the future:

Mark Lombard: “We have pretty good support from the community. Our emphasis is building value for the community, training workers and providing firewood for seniors and  logs for local mills. We’re the lightest touch logging operation in the province by a mile and a half.”

“Log prices are really low right now. There’s potential concerns about a recession in the US, or globally, for whatever reasons and because prices are low, we’re not planning to do any logging right now.”  

Cortes Currents: So where were you working this year?

Continue reading September 2024 Update from the Cortes Community Forest

Screening of ‘the Test’ On Cortes Island Thursday, June 20, 2024

Male voice: “I’ll vividly remember there was a very large wall of flame methodically marching towards Logan Lake and a huge column of smoke coming off of that  and looking down at these cul de sacs and thinking, ‘wow, they look so small.’ And in my mind, all I could think was that this is either going to be a great day for Logan Lake, or a horrible day.” 

Female voice: “What inspired the first activities in Logan Lake was fear.”

Second female voice: “We’re a small community on top of this beautiful hill surrounded by forest.” – excerpt from ‘the Test.’

There will be a screening of ‘The Test’ in the Mansons Fire Hall at 7 PM, on Thursday, June 20.  

“This is a documentary about the Logan Lake wildfire and their success in preparing for it using the FireSmart methods.  I believe they had been preparing for 18 years before they had a major wildfire come through the community, “explained, Interim Fire Chief Eli McKenty.

Continue reading Screening of ‘the Test’ On Cortes Island Thursday, June 20, 2024

Cortes Forestry General Partnership Public Meeting Covers Wildfire Prevention and the Five-Year Plan

The Cortes Forestry General Partnership (CFGP) held a public meeting on Thursday, May 30, 2024. CFGP is an equal partnership between the Klahoose First Nation and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative and manages operations in the Community Forest, comprised of much of the island’s Crown forests. 

The main theme of the meeting was wildfire prevention. Fire Chief Eli McKenty offered an opening presentation on ways the Community Forest and Cortes Island Fire Department are collaborating to reduce fire risks. 

Continue reading Cortes Forestry General Partnership Public Meeting Covers Wildfire Prevention and the Five-Year Plan

Cortes Fire Department Preparing For The Worst Case Scenario

The Cortes Island Fire Department is preparing for what could be the driest summer on record. They have purchased more equipment, a new pumper truck, and are about to start recruiting for a much larger wildfire brigade. After a year and a half as the interim Fire Chief, Eli McKenty may be staying on. This was not the story Cortes Currents expected to cover. An open fire prohibition came into effect at noon on Friday, May 17.

They were flushing water through one of the trucks in the front yard, when I arrived. Chief McKenty took me up to the office where it was quieter. There are two other desks there. BC Emergency Health Services Unit Chief Kim Robertson was away, but Office Manager Tammy Allwork was working on her computer. Their work spaces were meticulously laid out, with everything in its place. A few books and papers were sprawled across McKenty’s desk.

Continue reading Cortes Fire Department Preparing For The Worst Case Scenario

Folk U: Housing, Emergency Management and Resilience

On January 12th, FolkU Friday was guest-hosted by Sadhu Johnston, who facilitated a discussion about rural resilience and emergency response. Joined in the station by Kate Maddigan, Eli McKenty, and Rex Weyler, this is a fascinating conversation about the confluence of emergency management and ecological protection, natural disasters and climate change, and the ways government, community, neighbourhood, and individual all play significant roles in rural resilience.

Continue reading Folk U: Housing, Emergency Management and Resilience