The BC Wildfire Service plans to conduct a nine-hectare prescribed burn in the Goat River area as early as Tuesday, May 7, 2019, to help reduce wildfire threats, prepare the area for replanting and enhance wildlife habitat.

The burn site is about 15 kilometres north of the community of Kitchener. Smoke may be visible in the area and to travellers along Highway 3. Trained BC Wildfire Service personnel will monitor the fire at all times.

Key goals of this prescribed burn include:

• reducing accumulations of dead and combustible material;
• preparing the area for replanting;
• delaying the growth of competing vegetation;
• enhancing wildlife habitat, including the promotion of huckleberry growth for grizzly bears, and
• decreasing the risk of future catastrophic wildfires in the area.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions. Burning will proceed only if conditions are suitable and allow for low- to moderate-intensity fire. All prescribed burns must comply with the Environmental Management Act and the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation. This helps minimize the amount of smoke generated.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

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Learn More:

A factsheet about prescribed burns and ecosystem restoration burns is available online: http://ow.ly/E8Ue30br7OY