The dates to do a controlled ignition along the brushy slopes between Flatbed Creek and Bergeron Drive have been set, according to Brian Robinson, Firesmart Coordinator for the District, and those dates will be April 25 and 26.
The burn date is officially April 25, but if weather conditions don’t work out, the fire department has set aside April 26 as a back-up date.
Expect to see preparations taking place between now and then, he says. And, when the burn happens, don’t be surprised to see smoke.
An archaeological assessment has been conducted for the prescribed burn area, says Robinson as well as the overall working area. “Areas of archeological potential have been ribboned to ensure crews minimize traffic and operations in these areas and ensure that the integrity of the soil is maintained. These areas are currently ribboned in the field, which will be removed and disposed of appropriately following the conclusion of the burn operation.”
Crews from BC Wildfire are going to be doing site preparation sometime this week. “This work will be focused to remove existing danger trees if present, remove vegetation from the base of mature timber, limb conifers to remove ladder fuels and create a strata gap, and to space areas of accumulated fuels within the burn area to ensure desired fire behaviour is achieved,” says Robinson. “These crews will ensure that trail lookouts are posted during this period if any of this work has potential to impact recreational users while these tasks are completed.”
The day before the planned ignition, crews from BC Wildfire and the Tumbler Ridge Fire Department will be laying hose and sprinkler systems. “On the morning of April 25, weather and site conditions will be verified to ensure they are suitable for the desired fire behaviour and dispersion of smoke,” says Robinson. “If these conditions are not suitable, operations will be reassessed for the next day, or at a later date if necessary. If conditions are appropriate, the burn will be completed over the course of that day, with plans for full extinguishment and burn completion by end of day.”
The next day, crews will go out and do a last inspection on the area. “I will continue to monitor the site throughout the summer of 2025 to verify that no hot spots remain, and to monitor for various impacts to the area including slope erosion, trail condition, tree health, among others,” says Robinson.
Recreational users should expect for the flatbed loop section of the TR Trail network to be closed to the public from midday April 24 to end of day April 26, at the earliest.
Robinson says the burn is just the first step in the District of Tumbler Ridge’s Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP). “The CWRP has been published for public review and the team is eager for feedback and input in form of questions and comments from the residents of Tumbler Ridge,” says Robinson. “This document is set to contain guidance regarding fuel mitigation work on municipal properties and critical infrastructure, as well as outline community based education programs and various resident support systems, including increased assistance for seniors or those suffering from mobility and accessibility issues.”
In addition, there will be a trio of open forums to discuss the CWRP and the upcoming burn. These will be held April 22 from 5:00-8:00 pm in Room 3 of the Community Centre, a second forum the next morning from 11-12 at Willow Hall, and then again in Room 3 on April 24, once again from 5:00-8:00.
For people who can’t make the meeting, the CWRP can be found at the District website, under the “Protective Services/Fire Department” tab.
Questions, concerns and feedback regarding the 2025 Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan and 2025 Prescribed Burn are welcome to be submitted to Brian Robinson, the District of Tumbler Ridge’s FireSmart Coordinator at firesmart@dtr.ca.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
