The Yukon Government’s wildland fire management branch has released their plans for controlled burns meant to reduce the risk of wildfire in the Whitehorse area.
Locations selected for this spring’s controlled burning season are: the trails north of Range Road and south of Whistle Bend, Long Lake Road near the sewage lagoon, Hidden Lakes, Takhini North and near the Whitehorse cadet camp at Mary Lake.
Wildland fire management notes that people near the prescribed burns may see smoke for short periods of time.
A pair of prescribed burns have already been conducted. On May 5, wildland fire crews burned an area alongside Robert Service Way near Whitehorse as well as a field near the Kluane Fire Centre in Haines Junction.
“By removing material near neighbourhoods that potential uncontrolled wildfires could burn, areas treated this way help firefighters suppress the fire,” the notice about the spring burning season reads.
Wildland fire management communications officer Mike Fancie said the controlled burning work takes advantage of safe burning conditions in the spring to reduce potential fuel in the wildland-urban interface. He added that the May 5 burn alongside Robert Service Way went as planned and while there may be some burned areas visible, the removal of dead grass will allow lusher greenery to come up within a few weeks.
(Jim Elliot)