Photo from the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. website

By Liam Verster

Fire Fuel Clearing

Funding provided for wildfire risk reduction projects in the Okanagan, B.C.

Apr 24, 2025 | 1:05 PM

A series of projects have been supported to reduce wildfire risks, enhance forest health, and make use of more wood fibre locally and provincially.

The B.C. Government said a $19-million investment will support 64 new Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC) projects, including two in the North Okanagan.

Locally, FESBC will work with the City of Vernon on wildfire risk reduction treatment. Through this project, Rider Ventures will be supported in its ongoing work to manage fire fuels along the west flank of Predator Ridge and above Okanagan Lake.

In Enderby, FESBC will provide Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) 2007 LLP with money to deliver lower-value wood waste from local harvesting operations to facilities in the Okanagan Shuswap Resource District to be used in fibre-recovery projects.

Other area projects include developing a wildfire risk reduction prescription and treatment in the Westbank First Nation Community Forest near West Kelowna; funding for wildfire risk reduction treatment on the west end of Summerland; and the development of a prescription for a wildfire risk reduction treatment near Salmon Arm.

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FESBC did not provide information on how much funding each specific project would be receiving.

Communities applied for the funding, which is part of a larger $90-million being allocated to support wildfire-prevention initiatives.

“We received so many excellent applications from interested parties across the province looking to invest in the future of B.C.’s forests,” Jason Fisher, executive director of FESBC, said.

“After careful review, we are pleased to be able to support a portfolio of projects that will make forests more resilient and communities safer, while unlocking the value of wood waste generated through forest-management activities.”

Forestry Minister, Ravi Parmar, added the 64 projects across B.C. would help “remove almost 11,000 truckloads of flammable waste fibre from our forests.”