The B.C. Wildfire Service is set to conduct an ecosystem restoration burn at the north end of Cotton Road, near Riske Creek and Tl’esqox First Nation.
Smoke and flames will be highly visible to drivers on Highway 20 and may be seen by nearby residents.
The burn will cover approximately 25 hectares of grassland. B.C. Wildfire Service staff will carefully prepare, control, and monitor the burn at all times.
Preparation for this project, including small-scale burns to establish control lines, was scheduled to begin Thursday, Sept. 12, with the burn to start Friday, Sept. 13. The process may continue periodically until Sept. 20.
The exact timing will depend on weather, site, and venting conditions. Ignitions will proceed only if conditions are favourable and allow for quick smoke dissipation, the fire service reports.
The objectives of this prescribed burn are to:
- Improve and restore open grasslands by reducing encroachment from trees and shrubs
- Consume slashed material
- Enhance grassland forage for future wildlife and cattle grazing
This prescribed burn is part of an ongoing ecosystem restoration program conducted in consultation with First Nations and local ranchers.
