It might get a little smoky for Foothills residents Thursday, April 7.
Vernon Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) is advising residents that wildland fuel management work is scheduled to take place this week as part of an ongoing effort to reduce wildfire risks in the community.
Residents may see smoke from a prescribed burn from two parcels of city-owned land in the Foothills. The work will be conducted by a qualified contractor and will only take place if weather and fuel conditions are appropriate.
“We started the Foothills fuel management project in 2019,” fire chief David Lind said. “First, we cleaned up the site by removing debris and thinning out the trees and vegetation. In July 2020, small pile burning was conducted to deal with some of the woody fiber that had been generated from the thinning of overgrown areas, and now it’s time to conduct a prescribed burn to manage fine fuels and return the area to a more natural state.”
Controlled burns require specific criteria to be met to maintain the safety of those doing the work and everyone else in the area – this includes the need to have the right weather conditions to reduce the impact of smoke on the region – so time is of the essence.
The qualified contractor will carefully prepare, control and monitor the fire at all times and VFRS firefighters will be on site regularly and will remain in close contact with the contractor.
“I have full confidence in the team doing this work,” said Lind. “Burning will only take place if conditions are suitable and allow smoke to dissipate. It will be done in compliance with provincial and federal regulations and conducted in a safe, controlled, and responsible manner.”
Only one day of burn activity is expected to take place, followed by three days of patrolling the area for hot spots; however, the schedule may be adjusted due to weather and site conditions.
During the day, residents in the Foothills area will want to keep their windows closed to prevent smoke from getting inside their homes. The fire will be extinguished before the contractor leaves the site, when windows can be opened again.
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