The City of Quesnel is getting more than 275 thousand dollars from the provincial government to help reduce the risk and impact of future wildfires in the community.
The money is broken down into two parts.
Lacy Scuffi is the City’s Forestry Initiatives Coordinator…
“We’ve awarded 150 thousand dollars to advance Fire Smart, and we’re going to use that or organize outreach events such as wildfire preparedness day, and support home and business owners to assess and treat their properties.”
Scuffi says they also received 125 thousand dollars for fuel management activities, for things thinning, spacing, and pruning trees to reduce forest debris and reduce the risk of a wildfire spreading…
“First of all there is crown municipal lands adjacent to the Quesnel Airport that was harvested last year, so we’re going to start there. We’ve also got some agricultural range land in the Southhills subdivision and Sugarloaf Park.”
Getting back to FireSmart, Scuffi says they will be at the Quesnel Trade Show April 18th to 19th at the West Fraser Centre and people can also visit their website at Quesnel.ca/forestry.
The City of Williams Lake is also receiving some funding, just under 377 thousand dollars.
Several First Nations bands is also getting money.
• Canim Lake Band: $141,800 to assist with fuel management
• Esdilagh First Nation: $40,000 to assist with planning
• Esk’etemc First Nation: $201,098 to assist with cross-training, FireSmart demonstration projects, FireSmart activities for private land, fuel management
• Lhtako Dené Nation: $30,000 to assist with planning
• Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation: $12,000 to assist with fuel management
• Williams Lake Band: $75,000 to assist with development
• Xeni Gwet’in First Nations: $104,600 to assist with education, inter-agency cooperation, cross-training, FireSmart activities for private land, fuel management