On last week's episode of The Gunn Show, Michelle Stirling from Friends of Science joined the show to discuss what led to the horrific wildfires in Jasper, Alberta.

Stirling explained that the prevailing narrative of climate change being responsible for the severity of the fires is likely incorrect, with years of forest mismanagement creating ideal conditions for fire to spread.

"It's not climate change, it's because there are hectares of land filled with these dead trees," said Stirling.

"So these are very dangerous fuel loads that have built up, and if we don't go in and log them out or burn them out with controlled burns, then we're going to have more wildfires like this."

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Rebel News reporter Adam Soos speaks with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) about the Jasper wildfire and the government's mitigation efforts.

FULL REPORT by @ATSoos: https://t.co/ORKoXP5O77 pic.twitter.com/J6TojMErVi

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) August 8, 2024

The Jasper wildfires destroyed approximately one-third of the buildings in the townsite, devastating local residents and forcing thousands to evacuate.

The damage has sparked a wave of criticism, with a significant portion of the blame being directed at the federal government. Many argue that this disaster could have been mitigated or even prevented altogether if proper measures had been taken.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally visited Alberta, weeks after a series of wildfires devastated Jasper National Park and its residents. More than 20,000 people were evacuated from the town.https://t.co/7j7EGH6XsU

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) August 7, 2024

Stirling said that while the conditions around Jasper make controlled burns difficult, there are other measures that can be taken to mitigate damage from wildfires.

"It's also not easy to do a controlled burn, especially in that Jasper area...the wind changes rather rapidly and it can get away on you, especially when you have that deadwood all around," she said.

"But there are things that could be done, like logging companies could take all that deadwood out, and there may be a way to turn it into something useful," added Stirling.