To help reduce the risk of wildfires, the BC Wildfire Service is supporting the City of Cranbrook in conducting a prescribed burn beside the Canadian Rockies International Airport.

This burn is located approximately 11 kilometres north of the City of Cranbrook and will cover up to 45 hectares.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions, but it could begin as early as Thursday, September 18. To limit potential impact to airport operations, this burn may take place in the evening hours.

Key goals include:

• Reduce accumulations of continuous matted grass, wood, and combustible material,
• Provide critical infrastructure protection, and
• Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires for the community.

Smoke may impact the residents near the burn area and will be highly visible from the ʔaq̓am community, the City of Cranbrook, and surrounding areas. Smoke will also be visible to motorists travelling along Highway 93, Highway 95A, and Highway 3.

Burning will proceed if conditions are suitable to achieve objectives and allow for smoke dispersal, though smoke may linger in the following days, particularly the morning after burn operations. Despite all precautions to manage it, unintended smoke impacts are possible after any burn.

Fire is a normal and natural process in many of B.C.’s ecosystems. The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities (including the use of prescribed burns), to help achieve land management objectives, reduce the severity of future wildfires and increase ecosystem and wildfire resilience.

These projects are carefully planned and only go ahead at the right times and under the right conditions to ensure community and practitioner safety.

BC Wildfire Service

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