Central Kootenay Collaborative Regional Wildfire Risk Reduction Planning Group – Phase 2 Support

Effective wildfire risk reduction near communities requires good planning and coordination between many stakeholders, which includes the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (including the Districts and BC Wildfire Service staff), local governments, First Nations, forest industry and various public interest groups. This collaborative planning project focused on bringing these parties together to identify priority areas for wildfire risk reduction treatments to determine who should lead and implement the required work. Some of the areas set as a priority for treatments will be in the wildland urban interface as identified in Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) throughout the Regional District Central Kootenay. The areas may also be overlapping areas identified for harvesting by one of the local forest licensees. Priority areas of interest include areas on Crown land adjacent to where the wildfire threat is high or extreme based on forest fuel type and proximity to residences and other critical infrastructure. This project funding is to allow for the continuation of the work of the newly established collaborative planning group initially funded by FESBC.