Smoke and flames from the planned burning of waste wood may be visible near Revelstoke from May 20 to June 3.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations plans to burn slash piles accumulated last spring during a fuel management project.

The burning will be compliant with air-quality venting regulations and will proceed only if weather conditions are favourable for the quick dissipation of smoke. Wind speed, direction, venting and burning conditions will all be considered prior to ignition to minimize the amount of smoke created.

Smoke and flames may be visible from locations near the Mount Macpherson nordic ski area along Highway 23. Trained wildfire crews and equipment will be on site and the fires will be monitored at all times.

The goal of this fuel management project is to reduce forest fuels (e.g., waste wood, brush, accumulations of needles) in interface areas to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

This area also was chosen to give Columbia Shuswap Regional District residents an opportunity to view a typical FireSmart forest and learn how to make modifications to their own properties to minimize wildfire threats.

Quick Facts:

• The burn scars will be cleaned up and any remaining wood material will be scattered to reduce their visual impact.

• The fuel management project last spring removed danger trees, thinned stands, cleared away fuel on the forest floor, removed tree limbs up to two metres from the ground ("ladder" fuels) and removed unhealthy or suppressed trees.

• A factsheet about wildfire prevention, including information about Community Wildfire Protection Plans, is available online at: http://ow.ly/jWvPn

• More information about fuel management and the FireSmart program can be found at: http://bcwildfire.ca/Prevention

• To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on your cellphone.

Media Contact:

Karlie Shaughnessy
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Southeast Fire Centre
250 365-4014