The BC Wildfire Service will be conducting controlled burn trials near the Vanderhoof Airport.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, these trials are an important component of wildfire preparedness.
The key objectives of the burns are operational in nature, and include:
- Confirming indices (moisture levels) in different layers of fuel to ensure proper preparedness levels are achieved in the early season,
- Gathering accurate information for fire behaviour predictions (flame height, rate of spread) under the current conditions (wind speed and direction, humidity levels), and
- Providing cross training opportunities for Vanderhoof Fire and Rescue, and members of the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation.
The exact timing of the burns depends on weather and sight conditions, but could happen as early as today, and will be conducted intermittently over the next several weeks.
Smoke will be visible in the surrounding areas, but is expected to dissipate quickly.