Work has begun on projects in the Dog Creek neighbourhood of Williams Lake to reduce the risk of future wildfires.
Crews will be working to reduce the amount of fuel available to burn in the event of a wildfire and create a fuel break for where the urban development meets the forest, covering an area of around 46 hectares. Mechanical treatment with heavy equipment and manual treatment with hand crews will be utilized on-site.
Trails in the area will be closed when contractors are working nearby, signage and roadblocks will be placed on the trails as needed.
Risk reduction activities being done in the area may include:
- Removing hazardous trees and flammable shrubs
- Reducing woody debris and other fuels on the forest floor by piling and burning or chipping and grinding the material for offsite use
- Thinning forested areas by cutting smaller trees and some mature trees
- Pruning low-hanging tree branches to help prevent fire from moving into treetops.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, around 1,200 hectares of land in and around Williams Lake have been slated for treatment over the next two years.