This is where cold hard facts give way to the hottest of takes, mostly mine I suppose. I’m the editor, Marshall Jones.

Want to include yours? Listen, this isn’t the comment section, this isn’t social media. Discussion and debate requires context and a wee bit of bravery — we need your name and where you’re writing from. Include it in your account or email me anytime.

We’re famous for messing around with water here in the BC Interior, now we’re in the find out stage.

These are not particularly fertile valleys we live in. It has taken a lot of water for all these landscaped cedars and hydrangeas and grass lawns, etc. In the Okanagan, we use twice as much water as the average Canadian.

But look! We have rivers of water in Kamloops and lakes full of the stuff in the Okanagan! If only it were so simple and inexpensive to pump it up mountains in meaningful quantities.

I’m in; most of my lawn is brown. A bunch of my neighbours seem to have missed the memo, however. If COVID taught us anything, it’s that some folks just won’t cooperate in the face of collective danger. I have a feeling the finger pointing is about to start and it will be interesting how local governments react on a street level.

But we also must react in much higher levels. They’re talking about moving water from a lake to their reservoir in Vernon or perhaps tapping more underground water, none of which sounds cheap or quick.

I think that’s how we have to think about this problem because while we adapt to using less water, we still have a fire season.

This morning, I watched some guy park his old truck on his front lawn of dried grass. On the weekend, I had a minor grease-fire on my barbecue I was briefly worried might start a fire in my own backyard, which borders a tinder-dry canyon.

These aren’t theoretical concerns. Last week, a man died when his tractor lit the grass around him and he couldn’t escape.

One burgeoning emergency exacerbates the risk of disaster.

How are you coping with water restrictions where you live? Email me at mjones@infonews.ca.

Marshall Jones

Managing Editor

iN RESPONSE

Tripping an 86-year-old Penticton man, breaking his leg over a parking spot at Walmart, was just this man’s latest angry incident

Even letting alone that Michael Otway had no authority to even start with his parking lot enforcement this sentence is an affront to any shred of pubic decency. He broke the leg of a man 30 years his senior after the man had gone out and moved his car as demanded. A broken leg (or worse) caused by tripping someone in their 80s is absolutely foreseeable. Frankly it is lucky the victim was not more seriously injured. This is shockingly cruel and bullying behaviour. The idea that a community sentence somehow adequately deals with this is beyond the pale. Michael Otway went to court for sentencing and was able to stop at the local sandwich stop for lunch on the way home. Disgusting.

— William Mastop via iNFOnews.ca

Disclaimer: Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the editor, iNFOnews.ca, iNFOTEL MULTIMEDIA, its partners, principals or advertisers.