The Natural Resources team at the Lower Similkameen Indian Band is working closely with the province to move to a prescribed burn system for some land in the area.
Tracey Lawlor, environment co-ordinator said First Nations people in the area have a long standing tradition of doing burns to help reduce risks of out of control fires and restore balance to the environment.
“It’s really about ecosystem restoration,” she said during the open house at the Lower Similkameen Indian Band office last week.
Lawlor explained when wildfires get out of control and burn with extreme intensity like they did this summer there are “catastrophic” results.
“It destroys the soil. By letting the fire load grow year after year you create large fires that are scorching deep down into the earth. That’s not what we want to do. We want to clear out that brush and rejuvenate areas on a regular basis.”
Reducing the risk of out of control wildfires is only one benefit to controlled burns.
Others include helping to restore balance to animal populations.
As an example Lawlor talked about the Big Horn Sheep that have many predators. By not burning, the Ponderosa Pine has the ability to grow rapid and thanks to the Pine Beetle has created habitat unsuitable for sheep.
Toppled trees make visibility difficult meaning the sheep are more open to predators because they can’t see them. They also can’t communicate with other members of their herd through posture because they can’t see one another through the thick toppled trees.
Lawlor said the band is happy the province is looking to work with them on ongoing prescribed burning in the area.
In the past the province has asked for referrals or comments but now they want to collaborate on a plan.
Other members of the Okanagan Nation are also working with the province to schedule prescribed burns. A burn took place over the last year near Summerland.
Lawlor said the hope is prescribed burns organized between the LSIB and the province will start happening this spring.