Action taken on beetle-infested trees near Lumby

Mar 16, 2018 | 3:40 PM

LUMBY, B.C. — An action plan is underway to reduce the impact of the Fir Bark Beetle in the Lumby area.

An outbreak of the pest has produced dead or dying trees on about 45 hectares on the slopes above, and to the west of the Village.

“The obvious red needled trees are the visible signs of the increased Fir Bark beetle presence,” says a news release from the Monashee Community Forest.

Within the Monashee Community Forest, a trap tree program with salvage harvesting is planned to limit the spread of the beetle.

“The beetles are attracted to dead, dying and weakened trees, so live trees are cut and left on the ground and that attracts the emerging beetles in the spring from the already attacked trees. Those trees are removed before the next flights and the beetles are killed in the milling process,” Brad Sindlinger, forestry supervisor, told CJIB News.

Trap trees are being cut down the week of March 11th to 17th.

It is estimated that harvesting will occur between July 15th and October 15th.

Debris burning will be planned for late fall to early winter of 2018 for sanitation of potentially beetle infested debris, which may generate greater than normal smoke levels for a short duration.

The logging blocks are planned as a series of small patches. These small patches target beetle infested and immediately at-risk timber.

The removal of dead and dying trees is also intended to decrease the fire hazard associated with increased fuel loading resulting from a Fir Bark Beetle outbreak.

The blocks will be easily visible from many vantage points in the Village of Lumby.