Photo: Westbank First Nation

Wildfire mitigation work is set to be conducted by the Westbank First Nation next week.

The work is scheduled to begin on Monday, Nov. 29, lasting approximately 10 days. Nine areas have been identified in need of fuel management beginning with Unit 6 – Bear Creek and Unit 9 – WFN Cut Off Lands.

Forestry crews will be eliminating dead and hazardous trees, fuels, brushing vegetation and spacing trees on just over 66 hectares throughout units 1 through 9.

WFN has hired its own Ntityix Development Corporation for the project who will be working with Tronson Logging Ltd. The work mainly consists of treating potential wildfire ladder fuels by thinning, pruning, and burning.

Ntityix would like to warn residents that small burn piles may be visible and trails throughout these various work areas may be temporarily closed.

In areas where equipment is unable to gain access, debris-pile burning will be conducted in accordance with air quality and open burning regulations when either open burning is allowed in the region or venting and air quality are favourable with a site venting forecast from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

Once a decision is made to move forward with burning on a certain day, local fire authorities, media and neighbourhood organizations will be advised. The project is slated to run into April 2022.