Efforts to reduce the risk of wildfire activity are kicking off this week in Penticton with work taking place to assess and reduce the presence of fuel sources that can easily ignite during the summer months.
Contract forestry workers will be targeting the areas of Three Blind Mice, the Banks of Dartmouth, the Esplanade and Penticton Creek.
“While this work takes place, we ask residents and visitors in the affected areas to be aware of their surroundings and look for signage or locations closed temporarily for public safety,” said Penticton fire chief Larry Watkinson.
Work is expected to run from early December through to March, 2021. At times, smoke may be visible while controlled burns are carried out.
The BC Wildfire Service has been doing similar controlled burns in the mountains above Naramata. That work will continue until April.
READ MORE: 300 properties evacuated for Mount Christie fire
The 2020 wildfire season in the Okanagan was relatively mild compared to other years.
Although the Christie Mountain fire evacuated hundreds of residents and sent half the city in evacuation alert, the BC Wildfire Service did a quick job of putting that wildfire out. Although one house was lost in the blaze in the Heritage Hills area.
The fire did get dangerously close to Skaha bluffs.
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