With the 2021 wildfire season finally coming to an end and seasonal weather conditions slowly returning, many forest land managers are looking ahead to tree planting season.
All of Vancouver Island is now under a Level 5 drought advisory, the most severe drought level in the province. BC ranks drought levels from 0 to 5, with Drought Level 5 rated as the most severe.
Managed Forest land is a BC Assessment property classification established in 1988 to encourage private landowners in BC to manage their lands for long-term forest harvest and forest health. This includes, of course, forest management for the effects of climate change. Adaptation to climate change is essential for managing forests sustainably to keep forest industries competitive and forest-dependent communities healthy.
Private forest land managers – like many in BC right now – are trained on the drought conditions that have spurred a very aggressive wildfire season in some parts of the province. One of the predictors of widlfire behaviour is the condition of the fuels. But what are fuels?
With the peak of wildfire season still ahead of us, BC has already seen double the average number of wildfires and three times the area burned this summer. Hundreds of people have been evacuated and hundreds more are on evacuation alert. And this week, the province is preparing for another heat wave that is likely to worsen the already very hot, dry, conditions.
Forests and trees are important carbon sinks. In joining the Association, PFLA members commit to sustainably managing their private forest lands, and this commitment is an important part of climate change mitigation.
Silviculture is the art and science of managing the establishment, growth, composition, health and quality of forests on a sustainable basis. When it comes to post-harvest reforestation, planning well in advance of harvest is the recommended approach.
You’ll soon be hearing reports about the fire danger rating in your area. It typically rises from low during the cooler, wet season, to high or even extreme during the summer. But what does this rating system mean?
As forest landowners are preparing their wildfire response strategies for the coming season, many are wondering just what kind of wildfire season we’re in for? Environment and Climate Change Canada’s online forecasting models are publicly available and useful tools for wildfire forecasting.
After the wildfires in the Okanagan in 2003, BC engaged with local governments and private forest landowners on improved wildfire management. The result was the Wildfire Response Agreement program, launched in 2008 by the BC Wildfire Service.