A single match, flare, or lighter can turn a dry slope into a major emergency in minutes. In the Okanagan Valley and across British Columbia, that risk is not abstract. Hot summers, dry grasses, steep terrain, and communities built close to forests create the conditions for fast-moving wildfires. Arson adds a disturbing layer to that risk. It is intentional, criminal, and hard to predict. While not every human-caused fire is arson, deliberate fire-setting can start blazes in

City councils rarely get judged on one dramatic decision. They get judged on the daily work of roads, taxes, housing, safety, parks, water, and whether residents feel heard. Vernon’s last council term deserves that kind of balanced review, not a victory lap and not a pile-on. The fairest read is this: council made progress on core municipal files, especially planning, infrastructure, and regional co-operation. It also struggled with problems that residents could see and feel,