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Fire Prevention Efforts Get Underway in Whitehorse

Monday, 1 April 2019 15:52

2018 was one of the worst wildfires ever in western Canada in terms of overall hectares burned (Photo courtesy of B.C. Government)

The Yukon Government and the City of Whitehorse will be working together in the weeks ahead to conduct local prescribed burns The moves come as wildfires between 100-250 hectares in size have already been reported this week in British Columbia.

The Yukon Government and the City of Whitehorse will be conducting local prescribed burns in the weeks ahead to mitigate the chance of local wildfires.

Minister of Community Services John Streicker says the ecosystem southern Yukoners live in, particularly boreal forests, pose particular threats to spreading wildfires in dry conditions.

The Whitehorse Fire Department will be helping with the approximate 45 hectares of landscape that will be burned, which includes areas along Long Lake Road, the Range Road old landfill site, and areas along the South Access Highway.

The BC Wildfire Service has already asked those in the province to take precautions around forest fire prevention following extremely dry conditions reported at their Northwest Fire service station in Smithers.

Wildfires between 100-250 hectares have already been reported in the Kamloops-Shuswap area of British Columbia.

For all the prescribed burning areas, you can visit Yukon.ca.

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