The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is planning to conduct a 35-hectare prescribed burn on Crown land about 20 kilometres southeast of Ashcroft and about three kilometres northeast of Barnes Lake.
This prescribed burn is scheduled to take place between April 30 and May 14, 2018, with the exact timing dependent on weather and site conditions. Burning will only proceed if conditions are suitable and allow for low intensity to moderate intensity fire, and quick smoke dissipation.
Crews will control and monitor this fire at all times. Smoke may be visible from Ashcroft and other nearby communities when the fire is ignited, and for several days afterwards.
The goals of this prescribed burn are to help reduce wildfire risks and restore the area’s ecosystem by removing sage brush and other forest fuels (accumulations of combustible material). It will mimic a naturally occurring ground fire and have a minimal effect on mature trees, while promoting the regeneration of grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation. It will also restore grassland habitat characteristics and enhance forage for deer, sheep, and cattle.
The BC Wildfire Service, working with land managers, regularly uses prescribed burns to enhance local ecosystems and reduce the risk of extreme fire behaviour on the landscape.
You can follow the latest B.C. wildfire news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo. On Facebook go to http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo.
A factsheet about prescribed burns and ecosystem restoration burns is available online at http://ow.ly/E8Ue30br7OY.
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