Fire Prevention Work Near University

Fire mitigation activities will start this week on City of Kelowna property near UBC Okanagan.

“Six and a half hectares, equivalent to approximately six Apple Bowl Stadiums, will undergo mechanical fuel modification,” says a City of Kelowna news release. “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 the fire risk.

“This project will take approximately two weeks to complete,” says the release. “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.”