Wildfire rehabilitation and recovery activities are ongoing in the Cariboo region as staff from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development and contractors repair damage to landscapes burned during the 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons.

Information about the progress made to date on wildfire-related land base recovery in the Cariboo region (including a factsheet) is available online: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=B7246899D15746B3B1CCA7F2EB8AC5F4

The rehabilitation activities undertaken since 2017 address slope instability, disruption of natural drainage patterns, erosion and potential fire hazards (e.g., piles of dead vegetation and wood debris) related to the construction of fireguards.

During a wildfire event, fireguards may be established along the fire’s perimeter to slow its spread. This often includes the removal of trees and other vegetation to deprive the advancing fire of fuel.

Other wildfire recovery activities in the Cariboo region include:

• replanting trees in burned areas;
• repairing range fencing and other burned or damaged infrastructure;
• salvaging burned timber; and
• deterring the spread of invasive species by sowing grass seeds by hand or by helicopter.

British Columbia experienced record-setting fire seasons in both 2017 and 2018, with about 1.2 million hectares burned in 2017 and about 1.3 million hectares burned in 2018. Due to the severity and scope of the fires, some recovery efforts will require many years to complete. Public safety and environmental concerns are top priorities when planning and prioritizing this type of work.