A series of prescribed burns to restore Cariboo-Chilcotin grasslands will be conducted southwest of Williams Lake between April 23 and May 15:
- Doc English Lake area (Becher Prairie), near Riske Creek: 110 hectares south of Highway 20 near Cotton Road, about 30 kilometers southwest of Williams Lake.
- Saddlehorse Mountain: 45 hectares about five kilometers south of Farwell Canyon Bridge and about 50 kilometers southwest of Williams Lake.
“Smoke from these fires may be visible from nearby communities,” said the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Operations and Rural Development in an information bulletin.
“The decision on when to proceed with these burns will depend on weather and site conditions. Such burns are conducted only when conditions are suitable and will allow for quick smoke dissipation.”
“Fire crews will carefully monitor the fires at all times.”
The reintroduction of managed, low-intensity ground fires to these grasslands is intended to not only restore and maintain traditional grassland plant communities that are native to these areas but also reduce accumulations of flammable materials.