Project Overview:
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services (NFRS), in collaboration with the Regional District of the Central Kootenay (RDCK) and the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) will be conducting a joint wildfire training exercise. This collaborative initiative will be conducted as part of the City's ongoing efforts to proactively build capacity for wildfire response. When completed, the area will see a reduction in wildfire risk through the removal of surface fuels and an increase in tree spacing.
Date: October 9th or 16th, depending on weather conditions.
Location: 0.7-hectares, above the Svoboda Road parking lot, North of Anderson Creek.
Rationale and Details:
The B.C. Wildfire Service provides essential expertise in managing wildfires outside the city, and Nelson Fire & Rescue Services is dedicated to enhancing its capacity to effectively respond to wildfire risks within the city limits. This interagency training exercise will allow NFRS, RDCK, and BCWS to exchange knowledge, train with each other's equipment, and enhance their ability to collaborate in a coordinated wildfire response.
Jeff Hebert, Fire Chief of Nelson explains, “This exercise is crucial for strengthening our collective response to wildfires. By training alongside the RDCK and BCWS, we gain valuable insights into each other's systems, allowing us to respond more effectively as a team when it matters most.”
Access through Svoboda Road and the Svoboda parking lot will be maintained, though temporary closures of some trails may be in place during the operation. Careful planning and preparations will ensure that the bike trails and climbing areas are not damaged by this project.
To minimize the impacts of smoke on residents, ignitions will only begin under appropriate venting conditions and will be postponed if needed. This prescribed burn is being conducted under special provisions of the Environmental Management Act, which allows burns for training purposes to take place under conditions with less stringent venting requirements than those applied to burns conducted by the general public. Smoke will be visible on the day of the burn, with a possibility of minor smoke lingering the day after the operation.
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services sincerely appreciates the cooperation and patience of residents during this vital exercise, and remains dedicated to protecting the community and its natural environment.
This project was made possible with support from the Columbia Basin Trust and the Province of BC.
To learn more about prescribed fire in BC visit: https://prescribedfire.ca/
To learn about the various ways that the City of Nelson is preparing for wildfire visit: https://nelson.ca/975/Wildfire-Resiliency
More Information:
If you have questions or comments regarding this project or other FireSmart activities around Nelson, please contact our Wildfire Resilience Program Coordinator at:
Address: 919 Ward Street Nelson, BC V1L 1T5
Phone: (250) 352-8116
Email: firesmart@nelson.ca