West Kelowna, B.C. – Wildfires created challenges for many communities across our province in the past few years with fire crews working hard to suppress the spread of these fires. Thankfully, many organizations have continued to engage in proactive wildfire risk reduction work to help better protect communities. One such organization that has undertaken extensive wildfire risk reduction work is Ntityix Resources LP (Ntityix), owned by Westbank First Nation (WFN). They have achieved significant milestones in their ongoing efforts with support from the Ministry of Forests and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).
“The wildfires in Los Angeles, as well what we’ve seen in B.C. the past few years, point to the importance of our mitigation strategies,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Our government has all hands on deck to protect people, communities and forests, but we cannot do it alone. That’s why the work done by organizations like Ntityix is critical, especially in the Thompson Okanagan region where the wildfire risk is high. I thank them for doing their part in the fight against climate change and wildfires.”
Support from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, with funding from the Ministry of Forests, has been instrumental in the success of these initiatives. Their commitment to funding and proactively engaging and working with Ntityix to undertake various projects, has enabled the treatment of approximately 300 hectares around the communities of West Kelowna and Peachland over the past decade, with more projects in the immediate future.
Jason Fisher, RPF and executive director of FESBC said, “The Forest Enhancement Society of BC is pleased to support local people doing great forestry work around their communities. The work being done by Westbank First Nation and Ntityix is a great example of managing forests to improve wildlife habitat, foster better ecosystem health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce wildfire risk for residents while also creating economic opportunities by using the logs and biomass generated by their activities.”
Ntityix has been at the forefront of wildfire risk reduction initiatives in the Thompson Okanagan region, leveraging cultural practices and traditional knowledge to enhance fuel modification zones and significantly contribute to long-term wildfire mitigation strategies.
(L>R): Pre-treatment area with overgrowth and excessive amounts of forest fuel; Post-treatment area with neatly spaced trees and cleared forest floor, allowing for wildlife movement and reducing the risk of wildfire spread. Photos credit: Dave Gill/Ntityix.
“We’ve now completed all the spacing, thinning, and piling on our latest mitigation project consisting of approximately 60 hectares near the Upper Glenrosa neighbourhood of West Kelowna. We have done a lot of the pile burning of excess debris and are planning to have it all wrapped up by the end of this month,” said Dave Gill, RPF and general manager of forestry at Ntityix.
“We removed surface fuels and pruned the trees to remove the ladder fuels, but we didn’t realize it would be tested so soon,” shared Gill, referring to a 43-hectare area that was treated and then tested by the 2021 Mount Law fire. “When the Mount Law fire came through the area, the intensity of the fire just dropped. The ‘roar’ went out of the fire as soon as it hit the area we had treated, immediately showing us how impactful the work we were doing was.”
As communities across B.C. face wildfire threats, the work of Ntityix Resources LP is a powerful example of effective and culturally informed forest management. The video ‘Living With Fire’ showcases Ntityix’s extensive and impactful work to mitigate wildfire risk to communities. It emphasizes the significance of ongoing wildfire risk reduction efforts and highlights the role of Indigenous leadership and traditional cultural practices in forest management.
Watch Living With Fire, to see the work done by Ntityix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc38rsUOqFU
For an interview with FESBC or Ntityix Resources LP, contact:
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison | communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
About FESBC: FESBC’s purposes are to advance environmental and resource stewardship of B.C.’s forests by preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires, improving damaged or low-value forests, improving habitat for wildlife, supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low-value forests, and treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases. FESBC has been granted millions of dollars in funding and has partnered with the governments of B.C. and Canada to support hundreds of projects throughout B.C.
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.