Giant Wildfires on the Prairie
Friday May 30, 2025
Saturday May 31, 2025 editorial cartoon - As wildfires intensify in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, contrasting leadership styles highlight different approaches to climate change and crisis management.
Wildfires have always been part of our world, and the news is full of those terrifying scenes—vehicles racing through burning forests, the sky glowing orange, and embers flying everywhere. It's like watching hell on Earth. But as each wildfire gets more frequent and intense, the same old voices come out to downplay what's happening.
Thursday June 8, 2023 - Canada experienced over 400 wildfires that destroyed forests, displaced thousands, and highlighted the urgent need to address climate change as a major cause of these increasingly frequent and intense fires, despite skeptics trying to downplay the role of climate change.
These folks, often climate change deniers, love blaming everything else: natural cycles, poor forest management, economic worries, or even vandals and eco-terrorists. They pop up after every disaster—whether it's wildfires, floods, or extreme weather—trying to shift the blame and downplay the real issue.
Friday August 13, 2021 - The UN climate panel's report declared a "code red for humanity," warning that human activity is causing unprecedented and irreversible climate changes linked to extreme weather events, urging immediate global cooperation to limit damage and offering hope that united efforts can prevent the worst-case scenarios.
What's really concerning is how much sway these critics seem to have with politicians. We've seen a lot of pullback on conservation efforts not just in the USA, where environmental oversight feels nonexistent, but also in places like Doug Ford's Ontario, where they seem to dodge public consultation at every turn. And now, Canada has even scrapped the carbon tax.
Substack is an invaluable platform for me, especially given the uncertainties that come with being a staff editorial cartoonist. While I remain optimistic about my future, I am acutely aware of the unfortunate layoffs and newspaper closures that have impacted many talented colleagues in our field. Please Enjoy the animated making of my May 31, 2025 editorial cartoon below and thank you for your continued support!
Making-of video:
What’s not commonly known is that Flin Flon straddles the Manitoba - Saskatchewan border. Similar to Lloydminster on the SK - AB line, it has a unified city council and administration. So residents there are experiencing this fight first hand.
The problem with this is that the fires are in northern Saskatchewan while the oil is in the extreme southeast near Estevan and Moosomin. There is oil also in south western Manitoba near Virden. In northern Saskatchewan is uranium.