Monique Sliedrecht: Feeling helpless in Caithness in face of Canada wildfires
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Northern Drift by Monique Sliedrecht
One thing we’re all agreed on: nothing is normal about our climate anymore. From deadly heat around the world that has given rise to wildfires in northern Canada, to catastrophic rains in China and hurricanes in California, scientists are being quoted left and right on their concern that climate change is here and accelerating quickly.
So, of course, our governments around the world are rushing to curb emissions and build a future in which we collectively work toward a common goal, right?
And surely the people are rising up, taking to the streets, demanding and creating the kind of change we need to save ourselves…?
There has been a film crew from Canada staying at Freswick Castle. They are shooting in the area for a couple of weeks. While I have not really engaged with them much, it is good to know they are there, and somehow it has encouraged my own creativity.
I wish I could send some of the rain we're having over to Canada. I’ve been following the recent wildfires there – infernos covering an area the size of the whole of Greece.
A member of the film crew staying at Freswick Castle is from Kamloops BC, near to where the fires have encroached on the town of West Kelowna. My parents are currently visiting my sister and her family in Prince George BC, and my sister mentioned that there have been days when they cannot go outside because of the intensity of the smoke in the air.
Many more black bears have been roaming into the city because they are unable to find berries and other food in the tinder dry forests.
The world seems to be on fire – literally, and somewhat figuratively too.
"Nothing familiar is in place – there’s a hurricane hurtling towards Southern California. Lahaina is gone. British Columbia is on fire. British Columbia, the sweetest most innocent place…" (Amy Lamott)
I hold great respect for the firefighters that are working so hard to put out the fires in Canada and elsewhere; to save whatever homes and hectares of trees that they can.
I must admit that I have been transfixed by the photos and video footage of the wildfires sweeping across my homeland. In some ways, ironically, I have felt frozen by it all, the dramatic scenes and watching the evacuees leave their homes behind, unsure of what the future holds. The term "climate refugee" is no longer a theoretical concept, but a reality that is hitting closer to home.
And the shots of flames and smoke reaching into the skies and across the large areas of land are mesmerising in a strange sort of way.
The great challenge of having so much access to news around the world is that we end up absorbing the tough situations people are in without being able to do anything practical about it. It is causing anxiety levels to rise.
In the past, we might have been more connected to our neighbours, so if a tree fell on someone's house in the middle of the night, for example, we would likely have heard a knock on the door and been asked to come and help. We would then go over, assist until the problem was solved, and go back home to bed.
We could do something in response to surrounding events. These days we are exposed to news stories that are so distant and make us feel rather helpless.
One thing that has been very encouraging to see is the strong sense of community in Kelowna, and the ways in which people are supporting and helping each other. These are the stories we need to focus on. And maybe we can do something in our own way, even from a distance.
The film crew are on the beach here, currently trying to light a huge bonfire for one of their scenes. Funnily enough, the pile of wood has been completely soaked in heavy downpours today! We're a long way from wildfires in Caithness at the moment.
- Monique Sliedrecht is an artist, blogger and podcaster based at Freswick – www.moniquesliedrecht.com
