A group of professors and ecologists in British Columbia have drafted a letter encouraging the provincial government to treat the wildfires of 2017 as “the new normal” and change its policies toward prevention and response.

A story from Global News says the professors have come up with dozens of recommendations they believe the province should implement to address the wildfire challenge.

The letter reads: “In BC, wildfire seasons have started earlier and last longer, and have been influenced by more pronounced droughts due to climate change and excessive fuels as the result of fire suppression, widespread forest health problems, and forest management practices.”

The status quo is not working, say the letter’s authors. “Inadequate funding and numerous policy conflicts perpetuate hazardous conditions leaving communities vulnerable to wildfire. As 2017 — the pinnacle of exceptional wildfire years — has proven, forests and communities in BC are not resilient to wildfire and adaptation is urgently needed.”

Read the Global News story and the full text of the letter here.