The E.C. Manning Provincial Park in the Cascade mountains of Canada was established in 1941 and named in memory of Ernest C. Manning, chief forester of British Columbia from 1936 to 1941.
During his time, Manning championed to set land aside for future generations to enjoy. The park was described as a “holiday land without peer”.
Then in August 1946, a carelessly unattended campfire escaped and burned for nearly three weeks.
In spring 1950, two park employees — Chester Lyons and Mickey Trew — and came up a dramatic fire awareness sign which was erected beside the highway on the western entry to the park.
ONE CAMPER MADE THIS 5,700 ACRES LOOK LIKE HELL!
DON’T YOU BE CARELESS.
The blunt message was one of the earliest attempts at a public campaign to prevent forest fires in British Columbia.
However, the Department of Public Works objected to the sign because they had not given permission for it on their highway and also felt that the word “hell” was too strong to be displayed publicly.
The sign was taken down, but if Public Works had hoped that was the end of the matter, they were sadly mistaken.
An even more dramatic replacement sign went up in summer 1950 – this time a huge gallows, from which dangled a 10-foot-long cigarette in a noose.
THE ONE WHO DROPPED IT SHOULD ALSO BE HANGED.
It was later updated, but stayed on the highway until the 1960s.
I’m working with DEECA to have the Parnaby gallows signs replaced at Cann River… Hmmmm.
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 