To help reduce risk of wildfire in both forested and grassland areas of City property near UBC Okanagan, a City contractor will begin fire mitigation activities this week.
Six and a half hectares, equivalent to approximately six Apple Bowl Stadiums, will undergo mechanical fuel modification. This includes removing downed and dead trees resulting from pine beetle devastation and removing some mature trees to open up the remaining area. Mowing of the adjacent grassland will also take place in late May or early June to further reduce risk.
This project will take approximately two weeks to complete. After the treatment, the area will look more like an open parkland, similar to much of the city’s natural landscape with trees mixed with grass and shrub complexes. Residents can expect to see large equipment visible from the highway and John Hindle Drive during the project. Residents are also asked to stay out of the area and cyclists are encouraged to use the bike path along John Hindle Drive to access the University.
Later this fall, the City will begin fuel modification of Knox Mountain East, having received Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) funding this spring. Currently, through the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, mechanical fuel modification is also taking place in the Gallagher’s area of South East Kelowna.