As Canada’s wildfire seasons become longer and more destructive, a familiar proposal keeps resurfacing: appoint a national fire czar.
The idea has appeal. Canadians want to know someone is in charge.
But many wildfire professionals push back. They argue that the best decisions are made close to the fire, not in Ottawa. Local incident commanders understand the terrain, the weather, the fuels, the communities at risk and the resources available. Another level of bureaucracy risks slowing decisions that often need to be made in minutes.
They have a point.
Yet those calling for stronger national leadership also have a point.
The mistake is assuming these are the same job.
Canada does not need one person in Ottawa directing every wildfire response.
It does need someone Canadians trust to explain what is happening.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians became accustomed to regular briefings. Whether or not people agreed with every decision, they knew where to turn each day for an update. They heard what had happened, what governments were doing, what remained uncertain and what Canadians themselves could do.
That kind of communication was important. Mr. Trudeau did a lot of it but so did his medical officers of health.
The same thing happened during the Afghanistan conflict. Military commanders like Rick Hillier and government officials regularly briefed Canadians on the progress of operations. They were not running every mission from a podium. They were informing the country.
Wildfires deserve the same treatment.
Every summer Canadians watch maps turn red. Smoke blankets cities thousands of kilometres away. Communities evacuate. Firefighters arrive from across Canada and around the world. Aircraft are redeployed. Provinces lend crews to one another. Indigenous communities face repeated threats. Climate conditions shift almost daily.
Most Canadians have only a vague understanding of how this enormous national effort actually works.
Someone should explain it.
Not a politician.
Not another administrator.
Not a “fire czar.”
What Canada needs is a respected wildfire professional with exceptional communication skills who appears regularly throughout fire season.
Someone who can calmly answer questions such as:
Where are the biggest threats today?
What resources are being moved?
How are provinces helping one another?
What role is the Canadian Armed Forces playing?
What assistance has arrived from other countries?
What weather changes are expected?
What can Canadians do to reduce risks?
And just as importantly:
What don’t we know yet?
Good communication does more than inform.
It builds confidence.
It demonstrates competence.
It reassures people that difficult decisions are being made by experts.
It also reminds Canadians that while operational control belongs with those closest to the fire, the challenge itself belongs to all of us.
Perhaps we have been asking the wrong question.
The issue is not whether Canada needs a fire czar.
The issue is whether Canada needs a trusted national voice during wildfire season.
I believe it does.
Leadership is not always about giving orders.
Sometimes leadership means helping an entire country understand what is happening, what is being done and what lies ahead.
Canada’s firefighters already know how to fight fires.
Canadians deserve someone equally capable of explaining the fight. Mark Carney must have a list of such exemplary people. Let’s hope he chooses one soon.