Strong partnerships, wildfire protection and community involvement helped the Williams Lake Community Forest win the 2023 Robin Hood Memorial Award for excellence in community forestry.

People in the Cariboo region will have greater protection from wildfires through a provincial investment in a series of community-led projects.

The B.C. government has provided more than $490,000 in grants to six local governments and First Nations in the Cariboo Fire Centre to support wildfire risk reduction initiatives and help keep communities safe.

A $1-million grant from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. will increase use of waste wood fibre, bring more wood products to market and support forestry jobs in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region.

Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) grants are supporting the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) as it creates jobs, fights climate change and reduces wildfire risk near its community.

A fourth year of helicopter logging in the Williams Lake area is expected to start next week to help minimize the spread of Douglas fir beetles on Crown land. 

Up to 17,000 hectares of Douglas fir forest in the Williams Lake and 100 Mile House timber supply areas will be aerially treated to reduce western spruce budworm populations.

Helicopters will be used to minimize the spread of Douglas fir beetles on Pablo Mountain, starting as early as Friday, Feb. 22, 2019.

Helicopter logging operations underway in the Williams Lake area to minimize the spread of Douglas fir beetles on Crown land are being expanded to treat two additional areas over the winter.

A third year of helicopter logging operations in the Williams Lake area is expected to start this week to help minimize the spread of Douglas-fir beetles on Crown land.