Staff from the Cheslatta Community Forest recently completed work on fireguard rehabilitation south of 亚洲天堂 Lake.
The work was carried out under a contract with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) for the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, forestry coordinator Ben Wilson told Lakes District 亚洲天堂.
The fireguard is located off Marilla Road and runs 2.5 kilometres from there to Cheslatta Lake.
Fireguard rehabilitation has been happening in the area south of 亚洲天堂 Lake since October.
READ MORE: Work is underway to rehabilitate fire guards south of 亚洲天堂 Lake
Despite the winter conditions, Wilson said a sufficiently powerful excavator can complete the job using more effort than it would take in warmer months.
鈥漈he work鈥nvolved excavators reestablishing natural drainage patterns,鈥� Wilson explained.
鈥淲hen a fireguard is put in it鈥檚 in an emergency. There鈥檚 not a lot of regard for water movement. The establishment of the guard might鈥檝e blocked drainage points. Or if there鈥檚 rain it should be able to drain properly. It鈥檚 bare mineral soil so it鈥檚 likely some will be washed away.鈥�
Wilson hopes the next big fireguard rehabilitation job will happen in May.
鈥淲e have a good window to work in there.鈥�
The amount of rehabilitation remaining is around 55 km, but the number still requires field verification, FLNRORD spokesperson Dawn Makarowski said.
To date the government has paid the Cheslatta Carrier Nation $50,096.55 for emergency work on wildfires, including fireguard rehabilitation tasks, stream crossing mitigation, slope stabilization and erosion control.
The timeline for the completion of fireguard work is not yet clear.
鈥淏efore rehabilitation can take place, staff and contractors collect and verify field data, develop prescriptions, collaborate with First Nations and complete archaeological assessments. The timeline for rehabilitation varies depending on this work.鈥�
Blair McBride
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