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Salt Spring Residents Are Worried About Wildfire And Ready to Do Something About It

A recent community survey has given Transition Salt Spring a clearer picture of how residents feel about wildfire risk on the island, and the results are both sobering and encouraging. The survey received 459 responses from residents across Salt Spring. Nearly 80 percent reported moderate to high concern about wildfire risk, and 81 percent are worried about hotter, drier summers ahead. Two-thirds of respondents expressed concern about the drying and loss of wetlands and how that is connected to wildfire risks. These concerns are motivating people to act. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they had already taken steps to reduce wildfire risk on their property, including clearing combustible materials, trimming vegetation, maintaining space around their homes, and reducing the buildup of dry fuel near structures. That's a meaningful number of neighbours already doing the work. Knowledge makes a real difference. Residents familiar with FireSmart principles, a pract…
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Learning All About the Men's Shed's and Possibilities for a Community Workshop

Ten, and a very well-behaved pup, joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Matthew Quetton, President of the Men’s Shed. After our Acknowledgement, each of us had a chance to introduce ourselves. Participants included several who were already members of our local Men’s Shed, several who were interested in joining and had come to learn more, and two women who were curious about this men-only society. We learned that Men’s Sheds, first established in Australia in 1993, are rapidly growing with over 3,300 organizations all over the world. The mission of all of these Men’s Sheds is to create a communal space for men to work on projects as well as providing a social space for them to create relationships with other men. Initially seeking to address the isolation too often experienced by retired men, Men’s Sheds across the world help men of all ages to forge new relationships as well as enjoy the satisfaction of a completed project. Our Men’s Shed was established by T…
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Eric March to Run for Islands Trust

Life can be hard when you work on Salt Spring Island, and that goes double if you work and rent. And don't take my word for it - according to the 2021 Census data, one third of Salt Spring residents, both home owners and renters, are living in some sort of housing need. According to the Salt Spring Foundation's 2022 Vital Signs Report nearly 30% of respondents considered moving off island and a whopping 60% of respondents had someone they cared about leave the island due to lack of available housing. The living wage on Salt Spring Island, always high, has now risen to over $28.00 an hour, something few employers are willing or even able to pay. I know the struggle of being a working Salt Springer well. I've lived in housing I struggled to afford and housing that wasn't adequate. I've considered, many times, leaving the community I love, and I've had friends leave. Much of my time on Salt Spring, I've earned less than a living wage. But, like so many hard working locals, I'…
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What's On This Week on CHIR-FM

A look at how and why fish talk, an interview with author and actor Chris Humphreys, and a show featuring the early great music from artists more known for later pop hits are among the exciting offerings this week on CHIR-FM, the Voice of the Gulf Islands. Tune in to 107.9 FM (or 102.1 FM in the South End) or stream the station online to hear more than 20 unique local programs on your community radio station. Highlights for the coming week include: Tuesday (July 7) 5-6 p.m. On Connections, hosted by David Minkow, check out great early songs from artists more known for poppy hits, from Bob Seger to Genesis to the J Geils Band. Show re-airs Thursdays at 5 pm and Saturdays at 5 pm. Wednesday (July 8) 5-6 p.m. On Archipelager Hour, midshipmen humming, herring farts, and ecological futuration. How and why do fish talk? An interview with Dr Audrey Looby of fishsounds.net with a focus on the Plainfin Midshipman, the fish species currently humming and laying eggs around inte…
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Ethan Wilding and the Islands Trust

Seconds after the Islands Trust voted against Ethan Wilding’s proposal to cover Baker Beach with a few metres of sand and gravel, there was a pause, and then Ethan asked “what happens next?” Well, we are seeing it now. (Ethan Wilding to run for Salt Spring Local Trust Committee seat, Gulf Islands Driftwood June 17, 2026 and SS Exchange) So successful at business, it must be tempting to think you can control a small island like Salt Spring. I appreciate Ethan’s largess towards the community but one can see, south of our border, what happens when money and politics get mixed up. It doesn’t end well for the democratic process. I’m also puzzled that it’s legal to run for a position on a board while one is currently contesting their decision in court. In the event that he were elected, would this not put him in a conflict of interest? Ethan states that the job is not complicated. “Decide clearly, decide on time, and respect the public’s money” As CEO of a company, this form…
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Our Hospice Team - Giving That Gift of Love and Support During Grief and Bereavement

Fifteen people attended Friday’s ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome the amazing Hospice team. It was immediately clear to all of us that these hardworking volunteers, Elly, Lorrine, Kathleen, Connie, and office manager Tracy loved their opportunity to help our community navigate dying and grief, offering care and wisdom during these emotion-laden journeys. And, that their important work nurtured them as well. Hospice began on Salt Spring in 1986 and was formerly known by the name of a local nurse who would care for sick and aging neighbours. When she died, her friends continued her legacy by establishing the Bessie Dane Foundation. One of our guests, Kathleen, has been a Hospice volunteer since its beginning, 34 years ago! Now a volunteer-run registered charity, our local Hospice offers a wide range of free services to help those in their final days as well as supporting their families. Despite many changes in its over three decades of operation, Hospice is still fueled …
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What's on This Week on CHIR-FM

Music and interviews previewing the July Pitchfork Social concerts and at least two shows celebrating Canada Day are among the highlights coming to you this week on CHIR-FM, the Voice of the Gulf Islands. Tune in to 107.9 FM (or 102.1 FM in the South End) or stream the station online to hear more than 20 unique local programs on your community radio station. Highlights for the coming week include: Tuesday (June 30) 1-2 p.m.: On This Song, That Time, Lesley Grott is celebrating Canada Day by playing music by Canadian artists. She welcomes song suggestions and any stories that might accompany the song choices at thissong@chir.fm. Show re-airs Thursdays at 1 pm and Saturdays at 1 pm. Tuesday (June 30) 3-4 p.m.; On Harmonic Expeditions, host Mike Chin features music and interviews with some of the performers of the July Pitchfork Social concerts at the Jam Factory, including Mike Farris; the Wailin’ Jennys; Kassi Valazza, Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin; Mary Gauthier w…
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The Roots Beneath the Harvest

Juicy strawberries! Frilly kale! Tangerine coloured carrots and blueberries: oh how we love you, July. No matter how many times we pull in harvests from the fields, it’s always a joy to taste just how deliciously flavourful food can be when it comes from the Salt Spring soil. We’re in the thick of the season: that means we’re busy planning long table dinners, and sharing wood fired pizzas at the farm. Getting ready for music, drifting across fields at sunset. Learning new skills, meeting neighbours, and celebrating an abundance that we are determined should reach everyone who eats for a living. ALL of us, whether we can afford land, or whether we rely on the food bank, deserve access to healthy local food. Check out what’s in store at the Farmland Trust this summer: • This week, the brilliant Luke Wallace is hosting a Field Hollers Songcraft Workshop at the farm followed by an open air concert at Westcott Farm (July 3). Tickets • On August 11, join our Farmland …
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Astrology by Danielle Blackwood: Full Moon MAY 2026 (CAPRICORN)

This Full Moon is a contemplative one, occurring at 8° Capricorn at 4:57 pm PT within hours of two other significant astrological transits, as Mercury stations retrograde and Jupiter moves into Leo. With Saturn as the ruler of this Full Moon, it’s time for a reality check. Saturn in Aries also makes a square to this lunation. Look before you leap, prioritize, and create healthier boundaries. Neptune also squares this Full Moon which can distort reality. Be aware of projection (seeing someone or something through rose colored glasses). Because Mercury also stations direct on the day of this Full Moon, we’re called to re-evaluate the path we’re on. We may experience setbacks in some of our long-term goals and need to revise something. Fortunately, Jupiter moves into Leo which can provide needed optimism, support, and unexpected blessings. The 29th could be a multifaceted day! The medicine of Capricorn teaches us the wisdom of inhabiting a physical body in the earthly…
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Linda's List for June 22: Carrot Day is Coming; Powdery Mildew; Tomato Pruning

We are moving into the season when we start planting in earnest for winter harvests. If you are growing your own winter broccoli and winter cauliflower from seed, sow this week if you haven’t already done so. I went into varieties and sources in detail last year so I refer you to my message of June 16, 2025. It is also time to sow cabbage varieties that take 80-90 days to harvest. You can seed directly in the garden, but if there is a failure—what with midday heat, birds, slugs, etc.—it can be too late to start again, so I find it more reliable to sow in seedling trays. That way I can move the little plants safely indoors at night until they are big enough to plant. There is no need for grow lights as seedlings can be set outdoors during the day. Remember to set them in partial shade on hot days. Or you can skip fussing with seeds and buy starts in July and August from local suppliers that plant the right varieties for our winters (I will list the ones I know of in my next emai…
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