A 300-hectare prescribed burn is being planned on Crown land in the Hat Creek area, to promote ecosystem renewal, reduce accumulations of flammable material, and provide important training opportunities for BC Wildfire Service crews in the region.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development will conduct the burn between May 4 and May 14. Crews will control and monitor this burn at all times.
Smoke may be visible in the Hat Creek area and from other nearby communities once the fire is ignited, and for several days afterward.
The exact timing of the burn will depend on weather and site conditions. Burning will proceed only if conditions are suitable, and allow for low-intensity to moderate-intensity fire and quick smoke dissipation. All prescribed burns must comply with the Environmental Management Act and the open burning smoke control regulation. This helps minimize the amount of smoke generated.
Objectives of this prescribed burn:
* The Hat Creek burn will help restore native grass species and enhance rangeland. Currently, areas under Douglas fir trees on the site are ingrown, which reduces grazing opportunities for deer and mountain sheep.
* The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities (including the use of prescribed burns), to help reduce the severity of future wildfires and related threats to nearby communities.
* This burn will also provide critical training opportunities for BC Wildfire Service crews, and help prepare new firefighter recruits for experience on the fireline this summer.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, please call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.
For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures, and air quality advisories, visit http://www.bcwildfire.ca.
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Learn More:
A factsheet about prescribed burns and ecosystem restoration burns is available online: http://ow.ly/E8Ue30br7OY
