Rossland to participate in program to reduce hazardous forest fuel loads
By Contributor
Rossland has recently been provided with an opportunity to participate in the RDKB Operational Fuel Management Program. The primary goal of the program is to reduce hazardous forest fuel loads as identified in Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP’s) adjacent to communities. The program is funded entirely through provincial and federal initiatives. Local forest workers, forest professionals, and contractors will do the majority of this work.
B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd., is administering the program on behalf of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. Forestry professionals from BA Blackwell visited Rossland in late April to layout and prepare detailed treatment prescriptions for 22 hectares of City owned land designated as priority treatment area.
City of Rossland residents living near treatment areas will be provided with information specific to the treatment area, prior to commencement of operational activities.
Fuel treatment activities will result in the renewal of forest health and improve the biodiversity of the forests while providing fire prevention measures to reduce the likelihood of extreme fire behavior.
Work is scheduled to take place in the summer and fall of 2010 and will include thinning from below, the removal of dead and diseased trees, as well as the removal of ladder fuels and small woody surface debris.
Ancillary benefits of fuel treatments on City of Rossland lands include:
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Reduced potential fire intensity in the fuel treated areas adjacent City of Rossland water reservoir enhances post-fire slope stability and overall watershed protection;
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Removal of hazard trees in the fuel treated areas adjacent designated trails will improve trail safety and reduce trail maintenance requirements.
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Treated areas serve as demonstration FireSmart fuel treatment areas with educational signage in high use / high visibility areas serving to increase public awareness of the need for FireSmart fuel treatments on private lands.
The City of Rossland is pleased to participate in the Operational Fuel Management Program and would like to thank the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary for inclusion in this initiative. Wildfire risk reduction and implementation of strategies to protect development from wildfire are key components of Rossland’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and access to this funding assists the City greatly in the reduction of wildfire risk on City owned lands.
Further information and details of the fuel management program can be obtained from the City of Rossland’s website. This article is a press release from the City of Rossland.
