Nelson Fire Rescue Service will be conducting a prescribed burn training exercise in the coming weeks in collaboration with BC Wildfire and the RDCK.
In a media release Nelson Fire Rescue Service said the site, which was prepared in July, will cover a 0.7 hectare slope adjacent to the Svoboda parking lot beside Anderson Creek.
The burn aims to remove surface fuels and increase tree spacing with the goal of reducing the risk of wildfires in the area.
The burn will be double as a training exercise, providing both Nelson Fire Rescue and BC Wildfire the opportunity to learn from each other and share knowledge to ultimately improve the management of wildfires both collaboratively and independently.
The release said that because wildfires are becoming an increasing threat for municipal fire departments, the need for training and collaboration between different fire service organizations has increased as well.
Captain Scott Jeffery from Nelson Fire Rescue Service said in the release that the exercise fits in with the goals of the FireSmart program’s seven disciplines.
“This live burn training exercise will bring together wildfire and structural firefighters in a manner that fits closely with the goals of the FireSmart program,” he said
“Aside from the direct benefit of re-introducing fire onto the landscape, it touches directly on three of the seven FireSmart disciplines: interagency cooperation, cross training, and vegetation management. We look forward to training with the Kootenay Lake wildfire crews”.
During the exercise, access to Svoboda Road and the parking lot will be maintained with a flagger present to direct traffic during the operation. Long Svoboda and Long Svoboda 2 bike trails will be closed.
Nelson Fire Rescue Services is assuring the public that no mature green trees are being targeted for removal and that there is careful consideration in place to ensure the bike trails and climbing areas are not disturbed in the process.
The exact date of the burn has yet to be confirmed and will depend on atmospheric venting conditions to ensure provincial regulations are upheld and to protect residents from the smoke.
