Prescribed Burn planned for Sirdar area



CASTLEGAR – To help reduce the risk of wildfires, the BC Wildfire Service and Blue Mountain Forest Lands Ltd. is supporting Monticola in conducting a prescribed burn above the town of Sirdar. This burn is located approximately 19 kilometers north of Creston and will cover up to 33.5 hectares.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as Friday, October 17, 2025. Smoke may impact residents near the burn area and may be visible from Sirdar and surrounding communities, and to motorists travelling along Highway 3A.

Key goals include:

  • Reduce build-up of dead and combustible materials
  • Encourage re-growth through the release of Ponderosa Pine seeds from their cones, encouraging natural regeneration
  • Prepare the site for natural regeneration
  • Decrease the risk of future catastrophic wildfires in the area

Burning will proceed if conditions are suitable to achieve objectives and allow for smoke dispersal, though smoke may linger in the following days, particularly the morning after burn operations. Despite all precautions to manage it, unintended smoke impacts are possible after any burn. Fire is a normal and natural process in many of B.C.’s ecosystems. The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities (including the use of prescribed burns), to help achieve land management objectives, reduce the severity of future wildfires and increase ecosystem and wildfire resilience. These projects are carefully planned and only go ahead at the right times and under the right conditions to ensure community and practitioner safety.

This Cultural Burning and Prescribed Fire YouTube video is an excellent resource to learn more about importance of cultural and prescribed fire practices.

Learn more about prescribed burning online at prescribedfire.ca.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, dial *5555 on a cell phone or call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free. You can also report a wildfire using the BC Wildfire App Report a fire function. Reporting through the app lets you upload images and can be used without service.

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Contact

Brendan Christenson
Area Manager
Monticola Forest Ltd.
250 777-1749
BChristenson@monticola.ca

Fire Information Officer
Southeast Fire Centre | BC Wildfire Service
250 318-7715
BCWS.SEFCInformationOfficer@gov.bc.ca