PENTICTON – The BC Wildfire Service and Penticton Indian Band plan to conduct two prescribed burns in the South Okanagan, in the Meadow Valley area.

Prep work for this prescribed burn could start as early as October 27, 2023. However, the burn itself likely won’t occur until the Spring of 2024. The exact timing of the burn and prep work will be dependent on local weather and venting conditions. Ignitions will proceed only if conditions are suitable and will allow for quick smoke dissipation.

The prescribed burn is part of a larger ongoing project, with 80 hectares remaining. This prescribed burn will cover approximately 20 hectares in size.

The Penticton Indian Band and the BC Wildfire Service will carefully control and continually monitor the fires throughout the duration of the project. Smoke and flames may be visible from Summerland, Peachland, and surrounding areas, and to travellers along Highways 97 and Highway 97C. For information about road conditions near these projects, please visit www.drivebc.ca.

The purpose of this prescribed burn is to reduce wildfire risk, increase forest stand values, protect ecological values, and enhance cultural resource values. This prescribed burn will improve public safety through a reduction in fuel loading (standing and surface fuel) within the wildland urban interface (WUI). This provides a level of community protection from wildfire and supports the traditional use of fire as a tool to improve the landscape.

Learn More:

For more information on the importance of cultural burning and prescribed fire, please visit prescribedfire.ca.

Contact:
James Pepper
Natural Resources Director
Penticton Indian Band
250-492-0411
jpepper@pib.ca

Fire Information Officer
BC Wildfire Service, Kamloops Fire Centre
250-554-5965
BCWS.KFCInformationOfficer@gov.bc.ca