Prescribed Burn planned for Toby Benches area



CASTLEGAR – To help reduce the risk of wildfires, the BC Wildfire Service is supporting the Rocky Mountain Resource District Wildfire Risk Reduction program in conducting a prescribed burn in the Toby Benches area. This burn is located approximately 1.2 kilometers west of Invermere and will cover up to 26.2 hectares.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

Smoke may impact residents near the burn area and may be visible from Invermere, Wilmer, and surrounding communities, and to motorists travelling along Highway 93/95 and Toby Creek Road.

Key goals include:

  • Decrease the risk of future catastrophic wildfires in the area
  • Reduce accumulations of dead wood and other combustible material
  • Contribute to landscape level fuel break and wildfire mitigation efforts

Note:
Toby Hill Road will be closed to traffic during the first day of operations. Motorists can expect additional traffic control, including alternating traffic and reduced speed limit, along portions of Toby Creek Road. Find travel information at drivebc.ca.

The nearby Lillian Lake boat launch area will be periodically used as a water source during ignitions. While the boat launch remains open, we are requesting that recreators stay clear while personnel are filling equipment.

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

KC Gano
Resource Operations Supervisor, Wildfire Risk Reduction
Rocky Mountain Resource District
Ministry of Forests
250 267-4284
Casie.Gano@gov.bc.ca

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