CASTLEGAR – To help reduce the risk of wildfires, the BC Wildfire Service is supporting BC Timber Sales in conducting a site preparation/hazard abatement prescribed burn in the North Creek area. This burn is located approximately 21 kilometers northeast of the community of Meadow Creek and will cover up to 43 hectares.
The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as Monday, May 26, 2025.
Key goals include:
- Reduce accumulations of dead wood and other combustible material
- Delay the growth of competing vegetation while allowing newly planted tree seedlings to establish on the site
- Decrease the risk of future catastrophic wildfires in the area
Smoke may impact residents near the burn area and may be visible from Meadow Creek and surrounding communities, and to motorists travelling along Highway 31, Duncan Forest Service Road (FSR) and the west side of Duncan Lake.
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.
Follow the latest wildfire news on:
• BCWildfire.ca
• Facebook and Instagram
• BC Wildfire Map
• BC Wildfire App: available for Apple and Android
Contact:
Jordan Carter, RPF
Practices Forester
BC Timber Sales Kootenay, Ministry of Forests
1907 Ridgewood Rd., Nelson, BC V1L6K1
Office: 778-671-9089
Fire Information Officer
Southeast Fire Centre
BC Wildfire Service
250-318-7715
Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect.