With help from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, the Logan Lake Community Forest will be able to do more fire mitigation work (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Aaron Schulze

Wildfire Protection

Logan Lake, Lower Nicola Indian Band receiving wildfire protection funding

Sep 1, 2022 | 11:06 AM

KAMLOOPS — Eight of the 22 new community projects receiving provincial wildfire funding are in the Thompson-Okanagan area, including Logan Lake and the Lower Nicola Indian Band.

In a news release issued Thursday (Sept. 1) morning, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) says $25 million will go towards protecting areas of the province against the effects of wildfire and climate change.

“FESBC is thrilled that communities will be able to continue this important work to reduce their wildfire risk to better protect their residents and important infrastructure,” Steve Kozuki, FESBC executive director says. “These newly funded projects take a proactive approach to reduce the risks of wildfire and many will also improve wildlife habitat, increase the health of forests so they are more resilient to climate change, and use the left-over wood waste to make green energy. Achieving multiple objectives is good forest management and good value for money.”

Projects funded in the Thompson-Okanagan include:

• Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society, $60,323 —enhance wildfire resiliency
• Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society, $129,381 — enhance wildfire resiliency of the community forest
• Silver Star Property Owners Association, $474,600 — reduce wildfire risk along the main road in and out of SilverStar Mountain Resort.
• Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation, $544,425 — reduce wildfire risk to Steffens Estates subdivision located north of Lower Nicola Indian Band’s Mameet IR #1, approximately 17 kilometres north of Merritt on Highway 97C.
• Logan Lake Community Forest Corporation, $746,550 — creating a large landscape-level fuel break near Logan Lake
• Logan Lake Community Forest Corporation, $127,050 — reducing wildfire risk along the Coquihalla Highway; reducing the risk of human-caused ignitions from the highway spreading into surrounding forest.
• Logan Lake Community Forest Corporation, $105,000 —a fuel-reduction treatment to allow for a safer evacuation route for the community at Paska Lake
• Vermilion Forks Community Forest, $814,078 — create a fuel break at a steep area close to the community of Coalmont

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Don Gossoo, general manager of the Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation, says their wildfire reduction project area is adjacent to many rural homes and properties.

“We believe it’s the logical second phase to the interface harvesting that we completed in the early summer of 2022,” Gossoo says. “I am confident this area post-treatment will showcase how interface harvesting and wildfire risk-reduction treatments go hand in hand.”