A prescribed burn is underway in the Mary Lake area this week.

Yukon Wildland Fire Management crews are conducting the burn to remove downed vegetation – known as slash – in place from 2021 work to help create better growing conditions for aspen trees to be planted there in 2023, officials said in an Aug. 22 statement.

The Mary Lake fuel break is part of the larger Whitehorse South fuel break, a strategic fire guard to reduce the risk of a catastrophic wildfire to the city and nearby subdivisions.

Residents can expect limited amounts of smoke to be visible from the burn site, about one kilometre south of the Mary Lake subdivision when burning is underway. Public access to the area will be limited when Wildland Fire Management crews and vehicles are at work.

In a social media post Aug. 23, Yukon Protective Services noted smoke would be visible in Whitehorse that day as the burn was underway.

(Stephanie Waddell)