White Rock Lake wildfire in 2021 (Image Credit: BC Wildfire Service).

By Aaron Schulze

Backcountry Roads

B.C. Wildlife Federation wants critical areas of fire-damaged Thompson-Okanagan roads off-limits for vehicles

Jun 9, 2022 | 9:25 AM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF) is calling for a science-based return to restricted backcountry access to fire-damaged forests, in which critical areas are off-limits to all motorized access.

In a news release Thursday (June 9) morning, BCWF says some reasonable exemptions were granted by the Ministry of Forests for salvage logging and people with cabins in the fire-damaged area. Although it says permits issued for scouting by wild mushroom buyers have turned backcountry access into a free for all.

“Things really went sideways this spring after the mushroom buyers photocopied their permits and handed them out to pickers,” Jesse Zeman, BCWF executive director says. “The ministry did not consult the BCWF on these permits. It now appears any commercial operators including guides, ATV tour operators, and anyone with a commercial interest is exempt from the closures, while the public is locked out.”

BCWF says it agreed with the province that the fire-damaged areas of the Thompson-Okanagan needed to be restricted to prevent erosion, limit the spread of invasive weeds, prevent environmental damage by off-road vehicles, and allow natural regeneration.

“The Thompson-Okanagan already has road densities that are three to four times higher than the science-based threshold that negatively impacts wildlife; the wildfires only made that worse. There is a need to reduce our impact in critical areas to allow our streams and forests to regenerate,” Zeman says.

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In May 2022, the B.C. government announced that roads closed in October, 2021 across the Thompson-Okanagan region following 15 severe wildfires would remain closed. The province says the closure of backcountry roads covering approximately 536,000 hectares were established under the Motor Vehicle Prohibition Regulation of the Wildlife Act.

The affected areas include:

• Sparks Lake
• Momich Lake
• Tremont Creek
• Two Mile Road
• Bunting Road
• Hunakwa/Crazy Creek complex
• Thomas Creek
• Nk’Mip
• July Mountain
• White Rock Lake
• Garrison Lake
• Mckay Creek
• Mowhokam Creek
• Lytton complex