Firefighting aircraft will be visible in the skies above West Kelowna at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, as part of an aviation demonstration associated with the Wildland Fire Canada 2016 conference.

Rural communities working to develop projects are reminded that the submission deadline for the second intake of applications under the BC Rural Dividend is Monday, Oct. 31, 2016.

BC Wildfire Service crews will be conducting a series of controlled pile burns in the Pemberton area in October and November to remove logging debris and reduce the risk of wildfires in the area.

An updated inventory of spruce beetle-damaged forest in the Prince George and Mackenzie districts shows an increase in the number of hectares that have been affected compared to this time last year, according to preliminary results of aerial surveys over the summer.

Effective at noon on Saturday, Oct. 15, the current Category 2 and Category 3 open burning prohibitions will be rescinded throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.

The Province is investing $1.2 million to help increase moose populations following the release of a multi-level strategy to restore B.C.’s moose populations.

Under the BC Rural Dividend, the Province is providing $32,000 to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo announced.

Under the BC Rural Dividend, the Province is providing $72,640 to the Leq’a:mel First Nation to establish a non-timber forest resources business and associated value-added opportunities, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission Simon Gibson announced.