Wildfire mitigation project at the Mile High Resort near Logan Lake (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

WILDFIRE MITIGATION

More fuel management work near Logan Lake helping to reduce wildfire risk

Oct 25, 2022 | 9:55 AM

KAMLOOPS — The threat of the Tremont Creek fire in the Logan Lake area still resonates with residents like Bob Van Tongeren, who owns and operates the Mile High Resort.

“During the fires last summer, the fire crews were unable to come in and assist. They were unable to stay and assist because of the way in and out was threatened,” noted Van Tongeren. “We stayed on our own and invested a lot of money in our own equipment — pumps, sprinklers.”

Access to the Mile High Resort was compromised partly because of an overcrowded forest surrounding the resort. It was also a massive wildfire threat.

Over the last year, with $512,000 of funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, the resort, Logan Lake Community Forest and the Skeetchestn First Nation cleared a lot of trees and dead debris.

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“Mountain pine beetle had some through 15 years ago and it’s been dead and it’s been all fallen down and elevated, so what was required up here was hand crews with power saws and supported with a little mini excavator,” noted Garnet Mierau from the Logan Lake Community Forest.

The crews were able to clear a lot of the fuel in the forest. Some of it will be salvaged as fire wood for the community, while the rest is ready to be burned.

The work has freed up space in the forest in case there is a wildfire in the area.

“Over 50 per cent of our fires are started by humans, and if there’s a fire that starts, as soon as you have an interface area, if a fire was to start in here, not only could the local residents maybe manage it but our crews with the Ministry of Forest have a much better chance to put a fire out,” said Gord Pratt from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC.

Projects like these are all part of FireSmart initiatives, which involves everyone to reduce the risk.

“On the public land, where community forest we can take control over any kind of wildfire risk reduction on that side, but for it to really work, the private piece has to happen as well to bring it together,” noted Mierau. “Residents around this area here have really taken it to heart. They’ve done the treatments on their own properties, some have even invested in their own sprinkler kits and hoses.”

Residents like Van Tongeren, who appreciates the work done to further protect his resort and the entire area.

“It’s something we’ve been trying to get done for a long time. It means less risk to us, to our business, [and] for our customers.”