Wildfire Risk Reduction project scheduled near Ten Mile Lake

Motorists and hikers traveling near Ten Mile Lake may see some smoke and flames in the spring.

The Quesnel Natural Resource District will be conducting a wildfire risk reduction project starting today in the area North of Quesnel until May 30th.

The treatment zone will be a 2.29-hectare area within Kostas Cove Park along Bjornson Road.

The Natural Resource District says residents, hikers, and motorists in the area should expect to see:

• Crews use chainsaws and hand tools to create gaps between the larger, mature timber and the smaller understory trees.
• Understory trees, less than 12.5 centimetres in diameter, will be thinned and branches on residual conifers will be pruned up to 3 metres, or up to 50 per cent of their height, whichever is less.
• Wildlife trees, deciduous trees, and coarse woody debris will be retained to protect wildlife habitat.
• Piles no larger than two metres by three metres will be created. The piles will be burned in the spring or fall when conditions are appropriate.
• Crews will ignite burn piles using hand torches under favourable conditions and will closely monitor all fire activity. Burning may occur over multiple days, as weather and site conditions allow.
• Personnel will remain on-site each day to ensure fires are controlled and will only leave once the fires have safely burned down and no longer pose a risk of spreading.
• Fires will continue to be monitored and extinguished once burning is complete.
• Smoke and flames will be visible to surrounding residents and to motorists travelling along Bjornson Road.
• The boundary of the treatment area is marked with orange ribbon on trees, branches, and fences.
• This project does not include private property.

The treatment areas will be marked with orange ribbons on trees, branches, and fences.