Reprieve for Lavington neighbourhood as heli logging coming to a close

Photo: Vanessa Robert

Helicopter logging above a Lavington neighbourhood is coming to a close.

The logging has been ongoing for the past few weeks to reduce wildfire risk in an area affected by fir beetle kill, says Trish Balcaen of Balcaen Consolidated, the logging arm of Coldstream Ranch, where the work is happening.

Residents of Brewer Road have been complaining about noise from the operation, but Balcaen says a terrain stability assessment dictated the use of helicopters as the 10-hectare stand is on steep ground.

Balcaen says work will halt for a wedding in the neighbourhood on Saturday and should be completely wrapped up on Monday.

"The falling is finished, but there is just a bit more flying to be done," she said Friday.

"The terrain stability report was part of the guidance on the type of harvesting we used."

Some residents complain they weren't informed of the work before it began, and Balcaen acknowledges some may not have been reached, but both she and her site manager canvassed the area to inform those they could contact.

Resident Vanessa Robert says she fears future landslides or avalanches from the site above her neighbourhood, saying she and others are "livid" over the logging.

She said the noise has been affecting her business as a dog trainer.

"We've been losing our marbles ... you can't even talk over the noise of the helicopters."

Balcaen says while the logging is on private land, the company has followed provincial guidelines as if it were a Crown land operation.

"The wood is incredibly dry," she said of the beetle kill, which she previously said posed a fire threat to the ranch and to the surrounding area.

A "significant" buffer was also left between the cutblock and neighbourhood.

"It will all be over soon," she said.