Continuation of cultural burn project planned for Boothroyd area



HOPE – The BC Wildfire Service will be supporting the Boothroyd Indian Band in conducting a cultural burn covering up to 20 hectares within the Fraser Zone of the Coastal Fire Centre. This burn is the continuation of an ongoing cultural burn project, which began in the fall of 2023. The burn site will be approximately one kilometre north of the Boothroyd Indian Band reserve land.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on suitable weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as Monday, May 4. Smoke may be visible from Highway 1 and surrounding areas. Burning will proceed if conditions are suitable to achieve objectives and allow for adequate smoke dispersal during burn operations. Despite these precautions, smoke may linger in the days that follow.

Key goals of this burn include:

  • Restoring and improving the productivity of culturally significant plants
  • Removing build-up of fuel to reduce wildfire risk in the wildfire urban interface (WUI)
  • Reducing competition from invasive plant species
  • Returning fire to the land base and revitalizing a long-held, traditional practice

This multi-year cultural burn project also serves as a valuable cross-training opportunity between the BC Wildfire Service and Boothroyd’s Indigenous Initial Response (IIR) crew. This project has been developed under the guidance and support of the Boothroyd Indian Band Chief and Council and will proceed only under appropriate conditions to prioritize the safety of both communities and fire practitioners.

Earlier phases of this project were featured in a two-part case study and are available to watch:

Cultural burning is a practice that has existed for millennia. It holds different meanings for different Indigenous communities but is often defined as the controlled application of fire on the landscape to achieve specific cultural objectives. Common objectives for cultural burning include, but are not limited to:

  • cultural and language preservation
  • food and medicinal plant revitalization
  • habitat enhancement

Visit the BC Wildfire Service’s webpage on cultural and prescribed fire (C&Rx) or prescribedfire.ca for more information.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), exposure to smoke can irritate lungs, cause inflammation, and alter immune function. For more information, including how to reduce your exposure to smoke, visit: BCCDC – Wildfire Smoke

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 tollfree, *5555 on a cell phone, or submit an electronic report through the BC Wildfire public mobile app.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, and more:

Contact:

Fire Information Officer
Coastal Fire Centre | BC Wildfire Service

250-951-4209 | BCWS.CoFCInfo@gov.bc.ca

Chief Mike Campbell
Boothroyd Indian Band
604-869-4677