BC Wildfire Service announces planned burns in Merritt area

The BC Wildfire Service plans to burn 520 piles of wood debris in three locations in the Merritt area over the next week to help manage wildfire risk, rehabilitate the landscape, and reduce accumulations of forest fuels in interface zones around the community.

The burns are scheduled to start as early as March 9, 2021, and they will continue periodically until April 9, 2021.

Pile burning will occur in the following locations:

• Fox Farm – 154 piles east of Highway 5, at about the five-kilometre mark on the Fox Farm Road
• Rodeo Grounds – 326 piles southwest of Merritt, about two kilometres up the Lindley Creek Road
• North Nicola – 40 piles along North Nicola Road, between the 2.5-kilometre mark and the 3.5-kilometre mark

Smoke from these burn piles will be visible from the City of Merritt and surrounding areas.

The goal of rehabilitating these areas is to reduce the threat of erosion and promote the re-establishment of vegetation. Removal of these debris piles will also help reduce the threat of unwanted wildfires in the area by reducing the amount of fuel that’s available to burn.

The exact timing of the burns will depend on site, weather, venting and snow conditions. Burning will proceed only if conditions are suitable and allow smoke to dissipate. Staff from the BC Wildfire Service will carefully prepare, control and monitor these fires.