CASTLEGAR – To help reduce wildfire threats, the BC Wildfire Service will be supporting yaqan nu?iky – Lower Kootenay Band in conducting a prescribed burn. This burn will cover up to nine hectares on Creston IR1 along Highway 21, approximately two kilometres south of Creston.
The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as March 23.
Smoke may impact residents near the burn area and will be highly visible from Creston and surrounding communities, and to motorists travelling along Highway 21 and Highway 3.
Key goals of this prescribed burn include:
- Reduce accumulations of dead wood and other combustible material
- Delay the growth of competing vegetation
- Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in the area
This burn will also provide a training opportunity between the BC Wildfire Service, yaqan nu?iky – Lower Kootenay Band and Creston Fire Rescue.
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. For more information on wildfire smoke impacts and how you can protect yourself, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control.
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.
Safety is the top priority when planning and implementing a prescribed burn. Every prescribed burn requires a burn plan, and all burn plans identify specific objectives and clearly outline required elements. This can include things like weather conditions, equipment, mitigation plans, and post-fire monitoring. Watch the below video for more information.
Learn more about prescribed burning online at prescribedfire.ca.
Report a wildfire
The Southeast Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires.
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.
Stay up-to-date with the latest wildfire news
- BCWildfire.ca
- BC Wildfire Map
- BC Wildfire App: Apple or Android
- Facebook and Instagram
Contact
Carter Kuiper
Environmental and Community Sustainability Coordinator
yaqan nuʔkiy – Lower Kootenay Band
250 428-4428 ext. 3934
Carter.Kuiper@lowerkootenay.com
Fire Information Team
BC Wildfire Service – Southeast Fire Centre
250 318-7715
BCWS.SEFCInfo@gov.bc.ca
Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect